Lee cruises through to Japan final
TOKYO: Malaysia’s world number one Lee Chong Wei crushed fifth-seeded Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam to reach the Japan Open final Saturday, brushing aside controversy at home over the resignation of his coach.
The top seed and defending champion whipped the world bronze medallist 21-10, 21-5 in 29 minutes in their semifinal. Lee will play the seventh seed and hometown favourite Kenichi Tago on Sunday, hoping to lift a record fourth Japan Open title.
Tago beat China’s Gao Huan 21-12, 21-12 the other semi-final.
STENSON SURGES FOUR AHEAD AT EAST LAKE ATLANTA: In-form Swede Henrik Stenson piled up four birdies in his first nine holes, then held steady after the turn to forge four shots clear in Friday’s second round of the PGA Tour’s seasonending Tour Championship.
With the Fedexcup playoff title and its bonus jackpot of $10 million also on the line at East Lake Golf Club this week, Stenson tightened his grip on all those honours as he fired a four-under-par 66 on a glorious, sun-splashed day.
VOLLEYBALL TO TRY OUT EXPERIMENTAL RULES LAUSANNE: The game of volleyball is all set to test two experimental rules during the under-23 world championships for men and women next month in Brazil and Mexico.
The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) will test two rules - sets played to 21 points instead of the customary 25 and an interval of 15 seconds between the referee’s whistle and the serve - at these two