Top seed Lee Hyung Taik did not seem to be firing on all cylinders to beat
Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in a quarterfinal match here on Monday.
He needed only one hour and 22 minutes to beat Istomin 6-1, 7-5.
"I am very happy to get to the semifinals. I've played Istomin a few times in
the past, and the second set was difficult because his serves and ground strokes
were very good," said Lee, who was aiming to the top honour especially after
Thai Paradorn Srichaphan, the defending champion, quit the men's singles
competition citing an injury.
While the second seed Lu Yeu Hsun from Chinese Taipei was stunned by Japanese
Go Soeda 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
"I think he (Lu Yeu Hsun) just got tired. In the first set he was serving
well but in the second set he started making mistakes," said Soeda.
In the semifinals Lee will face Cecil Mamiit from the Philippines, who beat
Wang Yeu Tzuoo of Chinese Taipei 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 and Soeda meets Danai Udomchoke
from Thailand who beat Jun WoongSun of South Korea 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3.
