Daily News

World No 1 Lee Chong Wei avoided a humiliating defeat in the hands of Denmark's Jan Jorgensen but men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong fought gallantly to topple All England champions Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun of China to reach the final of the SWiss Open in Basel last night.





Chong Wei, the top seed, dropped the second game against the unheralded Jorgensen before securing a 21-12, 20-22, 21-9 win in 51 minutes in the semi-finals.

The Malaysian had taken a 13-4 lead in the second game but an over-confident Chong Wei relaxed his grip on the match and shockingly allowed Jorgensen to snatch an unlikely 22-20 win to force the deciding third game.

However, Chong Wei managed to recover in the deciding game to win 21-9 and secure his fourth consecutive final appearance in the Super Series this year.

His fierce rival Lin Dan of China faced no such difficulty as he beat compatriot Chen Jin 21-13, 21-14 in 44 minute to cruise into the final.
Chong Wei cannot afford to slip up against Lin Dan as the in-form Chinese ace will tear the Malaysian apart if he puts up a similar performance in the final tonight.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong finally proved they are made of sterner stuff as they battled to a 23-21, 18-21, 21-14 victory in 56 minutes to reach the final.

The win gave them the chance to end a 17-month drought in the Super Series when they tackle Danish rivals Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen in the final today.

Boe-Mogensen were involved in a marathon clash against Lee Yong Dae-Shin Baek Cheol of South Korea before registering a 19-21, 21-19, 21-14 in 71 minutes.

Boe-Mogensen easily defeated Kien Keat-Boon Heong in the quarter-finals of the All England and it will be interesting how the Malaysians psyche themselves up this time.

The fact that 2007 Denmark Open was their last Super Series title will also be an added motivation for Kien Keat-Boon Heong in the final.

Meanwhile, Wang Yihan moved within a match of securing an impressive third back-to-back title after beating compatriot Lu Lan 22-20, 19-21, 21-16 in 64 minutes to reach the final in Basel.

Yihan, with the German Open and All England already in the bag, will play compatriot Jiang Yanjiao tonight.

Yanjiao came from behind to beat Pi Hongyan of France 13-21, 21-18, 21-16 to earn a place in the final after a 72-minute battle in the semi-finals.

S-Final Results - Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Jan Jorgensen (Den) 21-12, 20-22, 21-9; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Chen Jin (Chn) 21-13, 21-14.

Doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun (Chn) 23-21, 18-21, 21-14; Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) bt Lee Yong Dae-Shin Baek Cheol (Kor) 19-21, 21-19, 21-14.

Women's Singles: Wang Yihan (Chn) bt Lu Lan (Chn) 22-20, 19-21,21-16; Jiang Yanjiao (Chn) bt Pi Hongyan (Fra) 13-21, 21-18, 21-16.

Doubles: Du Jing-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin (Tai) 21-19, 21-13; Lee Hyo Jung-Lee Kyung Won (Kor) bt Ha Jung Eun-Kim MIn Jung (Kor) 21-5, 21-17.

Mixed Doubles: Lee Yong Dae-Lee Hyo Jung (Kor) bt Xu Chen-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) 21-18, 21-17; Zheng Bo-Ma Jin (Chn) bt Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thungthongkam (Tha) 21-14, 21-19.

Madrid (AP) - substitute Pablo Hernandez scored a late goal Saturday to salvage a 1-1 draw for 10-man Valencia against Recreativo Huelva in the Spanish league.

Hernandez moved around two defenders on 83. minutes before Chipping over goalkeeper Asier Riesgo from the right side of the area to rescue point for struggling Valencia, which has not won in eight games in all competitions.

Adrian Columnas given Recreativo had a 55th-minute lead through lunging ahead of two defenders to Valencia poke a loose ball under Cesar Sanchez.

Valencia, which is five points outside the Champions League places with 40 points and an extra game play, last won against Almeria on Feb. 1. Recreativo moved to 30 points, five clear of 18th-place Osasuna and the relegation zone.

In Saturday's late game, Spanish champion Real Madrid look to rebound from an embarrassing midweek European loss when it plays at Athletic Bilbao.

Madrid's 4-0 loss to Liverpool was a record defeat for nine time European Champions, who are left with only the league to play for.

Barcelona, which plays in the middle of table Almeria on Sunday, leads with 63 points, while Madrid has 57. Sevilla is third with 50 points, and Villarreal have 45.

In other games Sunday, it was: Getafe vs. Valladolid; Sevilla vs. Malaga; Atletico Madrid vs. Villarreal; Espanyol vs. Mallorca; Real Betis vs. Osasuna; Sporting Gijon vs. Deportivo La Coruna and Numancia vs. Racing Santander.

In Valencia, the hosts are no Miguel Brito on defense, forward Joaquin Sanchez and leading scorer David Villa in attack.

Coach Unai Emery put winger Juanma Mata alone up front in place of Villa.

Recreativo's Adrian Perez created the first threat after the 18th shot past Sanchez only to see his low curler come far post.

Valencia Hernandez livened the attack in his second-half entrance and David Silva broke free on goal to 70. only to shoot straight at Riesgo under pressure. The Spain forward redirected Mata high pass moments later.

Carlos Marchena was sent from 73. After a second booking but Valencia hit the final whistle with substitute Fernando Morientes heading Mata cross over to 88 ..

Valencia continued its worst run of results since last period of turbulent arrival of coach Ronald Koeman. Emery admitted that during the financial Woes club had affected performance, with players who have paid their wages late.-AP

KUALA Lumpur: A nurse who was raped by a former boyfriend of three years ago finally lodged a police report because he kept threatening to distribute nude photos of her.

It is learned that the nurse, who is now married to someone else, was introduced to a man from her stepmother in 2006.

She went with the man who claimed he was a spiritual person and he asked her to join him in his business of selling compact discs to religious teachings.

When she rejected the offer, he became angry and in an act of revenge, raped her.

He had threatened her with phone calls since then that he would distribute nude pictures of her while they were taken together.

It is learned that the threats continued even after the woman got married a year ago, and became worse after the suspect threatened to show pictures of her husband and family members.

The victim lodged the report at the Pantai police station here on Friday.

Brickfields OCPD Asst Comma wan wan Abdul Bari Abdul Khalid confirmed receiving a report on the incident, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation.