Long brushes aside Julien as Yamaguchi ousts Kjaersfeldt
GLASGOW, Aug 22, (Agencies): France’s Brice Leverdez pulled off a major shock at the badminton world championships by defeating men’s second seed Lee Chong Wei in three games in Glasgow on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old claimed the biggest scalp of his career 21-19, 22-24, 21-17 in 75 minutes, and in the process perhaps ended Lee’s elusive search for the world title which has seen him take three silver medals just as he has done in the Olympics. “I’m really happy,” he said. “I managed to stay relaxed and played my own game.”
Leverdez had two match points in the second game — 20-21 and 21-22 — and it was only a successful hawk eye challenge on the second match point that saved Lee from a straight games exit.
In the decider, the 34-year-old Malaysian led 15-10 — but the Frenchman wouldn’t give in.
“I knew I was in trouble, but I never gave up,” said Leverdez, who won the 2013 Scottish Open title at the same venue and is ranked 31 in the world.
For Lee gone.
“I tried my best and he got lucky on a few points,” said Lee, whose fourth win in the All-England Open this year suggested he was still capable of ending his world title drought.
He wiped Leverdez off court in just 35 minutes at the All-England Open, but after this shock he admits
it was another chance his future is uncertain.
“I’m very disappointed. I don’t know my plans, maybe I’ll retire tomorrow,” he said with a smile. “I have to find out if I still have the fire to go on.”
China’s Chen Long, the defending champion and Olympic gold medallist, had no such problem. In one of the quickest first-round matches, he swept aside Georges Julien Paul, from Mauritius, 21-7, 21-9.
Japan’s top seeded Akane Yamaguchi also had an easy passage into the last 16 as she ousted Denmark’s Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt 21-13, 2111 in just 28 minutes.
“I am very satisfied with my per- formance,” said the world number two.
“I never think about being the top seed too much. I am still young and just try my best to take care of everything and take it match by match.”
The seed to survive a big scare was China’s Tian Houwei. In the deciding game, he trailed 12-16 to Denmark’s Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus.
But the left-handed number 10 seed then reeled off nine points in a row to win 21-14, 17-21, 21-16.
Earlier, Lin Dan got his quest underway for a record sixth world badminton championship with a routine win over local British hope Kieran Merrilees on Monday.
Lin won 21-15, 21-10 after an 11-1 start.
“Normally the first match is not easy, because I need to get myself in
Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi returns against Denmark’s Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt during their round two women’s singles match at the 2017 BWF World Championships of badminton at Emirates Arena in Glasgow on Aug
22. (AFP)
a good mindset,” Lin said. “I did a lot of practice and preparation, so I need to make this mindset last until the end of the championships.”
Next for the seventh-seeded Lin is Emil Holst of Denmark, who beat the Chinese superstar in March at the German Open.
The other names in the top half of the draw were also relatively untroubled; top-seeded Son Wan Ho, and Kidambi Srikanth of India.
Son could become the first South Korean male to win the world championship, but he has to pass the quarterfinals for the first time. He and Kidambi, who beat Son while winning consecutive Superseries titles in Indonesia and Australia in June, are seeded to meet in the quarters.
The bottom half of the men’s draw begins on Tuesday and features all three medallists from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics: Gold medallist and defending two-time worlds champion Chen Long, silver medallist Lee Chong Wei, and bronze medallist Viktor Axelsen.
Chen, the Asian championship winner, starts against Georges Julien Paul of Mauritius. Chen’s on course to meet Chong Wei in the quarterfinals. The winner then could play Axelsen.
Chong Wei, three times a worlds runner-up, begins against Brice Leverdez of France, against whom he has a 7-1 record.
All 16 women’s seeds received byes into the second round, including Olympic and two-time defending champion Carolina Marin of Spain, and top-seeded Akane Yamaguchi. No. 1-ranked Tai Tzu-ying is skipping the worlds to play in the World University Games in her Taiwan homeland. have returned after making peace with Cricket West Indies, after disputes largely over money.
“With regards to the selection of the ODI squad, the panel welcomes back Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels — who will both add value to our batting and help with the nurturing of the young batsmen in the team,” read a statement from the selection panel chairman Courtney Browne.
However, the likes of off-spinner Sunil Narine and batsman Darren Bravo have not agreed to return to the fold.
“Both Sunil Narine and Darren Bravo have declined to be considered for ODIs in England,” said Browne.
“Narine has, however, confirmed his desire to play 50-over cricket again but has asked to play in our Regional Super50 before he is considered — and Darren said he was not available for selection.
“Dwayne Bravo said he is still not 100 percent fit, but is looking at a possible return to international cricket next year.”
West Indies play a one-off ODI against Ireland in Belfast on September 13 before facing England in a five-match series.
Gayle, Bravo and former captain Darren Sammy have been out in the cold largely due to a bitter dispute with Cricket West Indies president Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron.
Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Miguel Cummins, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder (capt), Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor and Kesrick Williams.