Two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan became the latest casualty at the Singapore Open on Saturday when he suffered a stunning semi-final defeat at the hands of Indonesian qualifier Sony Dwi Kuncoro.
The 32-year-old Lin, who has never won the tournament, trailed early on against the composed 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Kuncoro, who raced to a 11-4 lead before taking the first set 21-10.
The Chinese superstar salvaged the second set to win 21-17, but the 31-year-old Indonesian kept his cool to seal a nailbiting 22-20 victory in the final set.
On Friday world number ones Chen Long of China and Carolina Marin of Spain had crashed out in the quarter-finals, unceremoniously shown the door by young upstarts.
Chen fell to Hong Kong’s 21-year-old Angus Ng, while Marin fell in three sets to Japan’s 18-year-old Akane Yamaguchi.
Speaking to media after the game, Lin said: “I lost the first set too quickly and took too long to find my rhythm.
“I didn’t play as well as I could have.”
Kuncoro, ranked 56th in the world, said he began to believe he could win after his quick-fire start.
“It was such an awesome game and I’m very happy,” Kuncoro said.Â
“My game was pretty hesitant in the second set so in the third set I just put in my all and was aggressive. I did not want to follow Lin Dan’s style of play,” added the Indonesian.
Kuncoro, who won the Singapore Open in 2010, will face Korea’s Son Wan-Ho in the finals after Son beat giant-killer Ng.
In the women’s singles world number two Ratchanok Intanon beat Yamaguchi 21-12 22-20 to progress to the finals.
The clinical Thai will be bidding to win three successive Superseries tournaments in as many weeks when she faces Chinese defending champion Sun Yu. –Â Agence France-Presse
