* Women’s world champion Carolina Marin dumped
* Men’s world champion Chen Long survives three-set battle
The reigning world champions – Chen Long (men) and Carolina Marin (women) – went on show in the semi-finals in the USD 350,000 Yonex Hong Open in Kowloon on Saturday and came off with contrasting fortunes.
Reigning men’s world champion Chen Long of China survived a three-set 64 minute battle against India’s rising star K. Srikanth with a 21-17, 19-21, 21-6 win to advance to Sunday’s final.
Srikanth gave another impressive performance but could not keep pace with Chen Long. Last week Srikanth, who is now ranked world No 10, his highest world ranking, defeated five world champion and two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan in the USD 700,000 Premier Super Series China Open final – his first ever Super Series title.
Despite his defeat to Chen Long in the Hong Kong Open, the Indian, can still walk tall – sending out signals that he is a player to watch in time to come.
Carolina, the reigning women’s world champion from Spain, was no match against young Japanese Nozomi Okuhara who stayed on course for her first super series final. Nozomi, a former world junior champion outclassed the European champion with a 21-13, 21-9 win in 40 minutes.
Japan’s Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi, the current world No 1 and top seeds in Hong Kong also marched into the women’s doubles final when they knocked out Indonesia’s 7th seeds Nitya Krishinda Maheswari-Greysia Polii 21-16, 21-15 in 48 minutes.
In the mixed doubles top seeds and favourites Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei of China made the final after a 21-12, 21-10 win over England’s husband and wife team of Chris Adcock and Gabrielle Adcock in 33 minutes.
RESULTS SEMI-FINALS (Selected)
Men’s singles
Chen Long Long (Chn) beat K. Srikanth (Ind) 21-17, 19-21, 21-6
Men’s doubles
Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) beat Mads Conrad Petersen-Mads Pieler Kolding (Den) 21-16, 15-21, 21-19
Women’s singles
Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) beat Carolina Marin (Spn) 21-13, 21-9
Women’s doubles
Misaki Matsutomoto-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) beat Nitya Krishinda Maheswari-Greysia Polii (Ina) 21-16, 21-15
Mixed doubles
Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) beat Chris Adcock-Gabrielle Adcock (Eng) 21-12, 21-10
