New Delhi - World number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei is all fired-up to wrest his maiden India Open Super Series title on Sunday, after a sizzling play in the semifinals Saturday.
The 28-year-old two-time All-England champion will meet Danish veteran Peter Hoeg Gade in the final at the Siri Fort Sports Complex, where the India's inaugural super series event is being held.
"I want to win the first India Super Series," said an excited Chong Wei, but acknowledged that his opponent was not an easy player.
Top seed Chong Wei showcased his mastery in court again, combining sharp smashes and accurate drop shots to dominate eight- seeded Hong Kong shuttler Hu Yun in today's semifinals.
It was a walk in the park for Chong Wei who defeated Hu 21-11, 21-15 in just 27 minutes.
In the other semifinal, world number six Gade, 34, entered the final, after knocking out South Korea's Park Sung Hwan 21-15, 21-19, and signalled he was still a force to be reckoned with despite his age.
"He (Gade) is an experienced player and I have played against him several times before. I just want to play my usual game and enjoy the India open," added Chong Wei.
Asked if he was under pressure as a top seed, he retorted,"no pressure at all."
Chong Wei last defeated the lanky Danish player in the 2011 Super Series in Taiwan.
But it was not a so pleasant day at the Malaysian camp today as other senior players succumbed in the semifinals, leaving only Chong Wei to battle it out in the tournament which offers total prize money of US$200,000 (RM600,000)tournament.
The men's double pair and top seeds Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong fell to fourth seeded Japanese pair Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata 16-21, 19-21.
And, mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying also failed to cross the semifinal hurdle, losing to Indonesian Fran Kurniawan-Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth 12-21, 16-21.
SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
Men's singles:
Peter Hoeg Gade (DEN) bt Park Sung Hwan (KOR) 21-15, 21-19;
Chong Wei (MAS) bt Hu Yun (HKG) 21-11, 21-15;
Women's singles:
Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (THA) bt Pui Yin Yip (HKG) 21-13, 21-8;
Youn Joo Bae (KOR) bt Sayaka Sato (JPN) 23-21, 15-21, 21-12;
Men's Doubles:
Hirokatsu Hashimoto/Noriyasu Hirata (JPN) bt Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon (MAS) 21-16, 21-19;
Angga Pratama/Ryan Agung Saputra (INA) bt Alvent Yulianto Chandra/Hendra Aprida Gunawan (INA) 21-23, 21-18, 21-14
Women's Doubles: Miyuki Maeda/Satoko Suetsuna (JPN) bt Meiliana Jauhari/Greysia Polii (INA) 25-23, 21-8;
Mizuki Fujii/Reika Kakiiwa (JPN) bt Lok Yan Poon/Ying Suet Tse (HKG) 21-17, 16-21, 21-16
Mixed Doubles:
Fran/Pia(INA) bt Peng Soon/Liu Ying (MAS) 21-12, 21-16;
Tantowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir (INA) bt Muhammad Rijal/Debby Susanto (INA) 21-17, 15-9 (retired).
Source: http://www.bernama.com