* Unseeded Chong Wei packs off second seed Jorgensen
* Defending champion Chen Long too strong for Kento Momota
* Champion Carolina Marin to face Saina Nehwal for women’s title
A dominant Datuk Lee Chong Wei kept his world title dreams alive when he outplayed Jan O Jorgensen in straight set 21-7, 21-19 in 42 minutes at Jakarta’s Istora Senayan Stadium on Saturday.
In a repeat of last year’s final in Copenhagen the Malaysian will take on defending champion and top seed Chen Long who was too strong for Japan’s former junior world champion Kento Momota. Chen Long beat the fourth seed 21-9, 21-15 in a 52 minute match.
It was simply Chong Wei in the first set as he took a firm control of the match – leaving the Dane wondering what was happening. He was never able to get his act right in the first set.
For the record Jorgensen became the first European to win the Indonesian Open last year and was confidently of reaching the final after the disappointment of having to pull out of the championships last year due to injury.
Jorgensen was no where near his form which saw him blast five-time world and two- time Olympic champion Lin Dan out of the competition 21-12, 21-15 in the semi-finals on Friday.
Chong Wei took the one-sided first set in only 16 minutes. However, in the second set Chong Wei’s game was littered with unforced errors which saw him fall behind which saw Jorgensen take the break at 11-10.
The Malaysian fell 14-12 behind but recovered to tie at 14-14 and it was ding dong battle for points. At 16-16 Chong Wei pulled ahead at 19-16 before wrapping up the set and match at 21-19 in 42 minutes.
Chong Wei celebrated his place in the final – which keeps his hopes of winning the elusive world title alive – with his new trademark – a scream and fisted punch in the air and extended his head to head count to 13-1 in his favour.
Both players later exchanged pleasantries at the net.
Many believe that Chong Wei’s march into the final was made much easier after Lin Dan’s defeat.
Chong Wei, however, has another hurdle to clear and Chen Long has proved that he is a worthy replacement for Lin Dan – described the greatest badminton player in the world.
Chen Long who had a tough semi-final match against Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen before prevailing 21-18, 30-29 in a 65 minute battle.
The women’s final will be between defending champion and current world No 1 Carolina Marin of Spain and No 2 seed Saina Nehwal.
The top seeded Spaniard however was fully stretched by Korean No 8 seed Sung Ji-hyun before coming off 21-17, 15-21, 21-16 winner in a marathon 90 minutes during which the champion also received a warning for delaying tactics.
Saina wrote badminton history to become the first Indian woman to reach the final in the world championships. In the process Saina, who is a Olympic bronze medallist, broke the hearts of the home supporters with a 21-17, 21-17 win over Lindaweni Fanetri in 55 minutes.
Indonesia have not been able to have a woman medal winner in the world meet for 20 year after Susi Susanti won in 1995.
SELECTED SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
SINGLES
Men
Chen Long (Chn) beat Kento Momota (Jpn) 21-9, 21-15
Datuk Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Jan O Jorgensen 21-7, 21-19
Women
Saina Nehwal (Ind) beat Lindaweni Fanetri (Ina) 21-17, 21-17
Carolina Marin (Spn) beat Sung Ji Hyun (Kor)
