World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei needed only 33 minutes to beat Peter Gade of Denmark 21-8, 21-16 to win the men’s singles title at the World Super Series Masters Finals yesterday.
The Malaysian, who was seeded No. 1 for the year-ending tournament, was in devastating form and showed no mercy for his Danish opponent, who faced a partisan crowd at the Likas Stadium.
Lee pocketed US$40,000 for his effortless win in the Badminton World Federation tournament, while Gade took the consolation prize of US$20,000.
Lee was in complete control in the first set as he ruled the court and opened up a massive 14-1 lead, before going on to win 21-8 in only 12 minutes. He led 11-6 in the second set, but allowed his opponent to draw level at 13-13 before the Dane went ahead for the first time at 14-13. However, it stopped at that and the Malaysian brought out smashes and some neat net play to romp home 21-16 in 32 minutes for the title.
In the men’s doubles, the former All England winning pair of Koo Kien Kiat and Tan Boon Heong ended their season on a high when they made easy work of their South Korean opponents, Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae, winning 21-18, 21-14 in 37 minutes.
The all-Hong Kong women’s singles final was a tame affair with top seeded Zhou Mi making quick work of compatriot Wang Chen, 21-14, 21-18.
Malaysia made a hat-trick of wins in the tournament when their top seeded women’s pair walked away with the doubles title.
Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty overcame Indonesia’s Vita Marissa and Lilyana Natsir 21-15, 22-20 in 34 minutes to lift the crown.
Denmark’s Thomas Laybourn and Kamilia Rytter took the mixed doubles crown against Indonesian pair Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir, 21-19, 18-21, 22-20.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two