Taufik to play against Lee Chong Wei in Macau Open finals

Antara , Jakarta | Sun, 10/05/2008 9:24 AM | Sports

Fourth seed Taufik Hidayat is to play world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in the Macau Open gold grand prix men`s single finals on Sunday.

Taufik advanced to the finals after beating Kuan Beng Hong of Malaysia in the semifinals 21-11, 21-12.

Lee Chong Wei who aims to win his third title this year secured a spot in the finals by crushing Indonesian Alamsyah Yunus 21-13, 21-14.

About the prospect of facing the world`s number one, Taufik who only made it to quarter finals in his two previous tournaments --the Japan Super Series and China Masters -- said he was ready to do his best and recover his previous losses to Lee Chong Wei.

"I played against Lee many times but lost the most recent matches. Now, I will do my best not to lose," he said.

Sunday`s match will be the ninth between Taufik and Lee since the 2004 Asian Championship where they each had four wins although their three last matches were won by the Malaysian.

The final of US$120,000-total prize tournament is the first for Taufik since hecame runner-up title in the tournament last year while Chong Wei goes for his sixth this year after winning the Malaysia and Singapore Super Series, becoming runner-up in the Switzerland and Japan Super Series and also grabbing a Beijing Olympics silver medal.

Taufik is the only Indonesian player who advanced to the final after other semifinalsists Alamsyah Yunus (men`s single) and men`s double fourth seed Fernando Kurniawan/Lingga Lie were beaten by Malaysian first seed Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong 14-21, 23-25.

He also said that it would not burden him to grab the championship title for being the only Indonesian player in the finals.

World number five Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong who are bidding for their first title this year after six championships last year including Macau Open, will play second seed Fang Chieh Min/Lee Sheng Mu from Taiwan.

Eight seed Julia Wong (Malaysia) faces third seed Zhou Mi in women`s single final whereas China pair Cheng Shu/Zhao Yunlei take on fellow Ma Jin/Wang Xiaoli in women`s double final.

Meanwhile, Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama/Chau Hoi Wah from Hongkong play China`s Xu Chen/Zhao Yunlei in the mixed-double finals.

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