By Dev S. Sukumar, IANS
Hyderabad : Chetan Anand is one step away from winning the India Open after he beat Andrew Smith 21-6, 21-9 in the men’s singles semi-final here Saturday evening.
A bewildered Smith had no answers to the Indian’s deception and stroke play. Anand, the only Indian left in the competition, will take on world no.12 Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand in the final.
Anand has been in great form through the tournament – even dumping world no.11 Chinese, Chen Yu, in the quarters. The Indian gave Smith no time to settle as he kept the rallies short and used his wristy strokes to great effect.
Smith, frustrated at not being able to get into the match, turned his anger on the service judge and complained that Anand’s service was at fault.
There was no let up as the Indian piled point upon point, running away with the first game at 6. In the second, Smith held on briefly, getting close at 6-8, but Anand, cheered on by the crowd, stepped up a gear.
Moving fluidly, defending stoutly, and controlling the net, Anand had everything going for him on the day.
“He was hitting a lot of cross net-shots,” said Anand, after the win. “But I was ready for them. He was also tense because of the crowd’s support for me. I just hope I can win tomorrow.”
The final promises to be a riveting battle between two of the best stroke-makers in badminton. Ponsana plays a smooth, skilful game, and he got through in three games against Sho Sasaki of Japan in the first semi-final.
In the women’s singles, Lu Lan of China beat the world champion, Zhu Lin, while Hong Kong’s Zhou Mi got past Japans’ Eriko Hirose, both in three games.
Former men’s doubles world champions Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan were upset by Chew Eng Choon and Chan Chong Ming of Malaysia.
Results:
Mixed:
He Hanbin/ Yu Yang (Chn) bt Robert Mateusiak/ Nadiezda Kostiuczyk (Pol) 21-14, 21-19
Kristof Hopp/ Birgit Overzier (Ger) bt Ang Chieh Min/ Cehng Wen Hsing (Taipei) 21-19, 22-20
Women’s singles:
Zhou Mi (Hkg) bt Eriko Hirose (Jpn) 18-21, 21-12, 21-12
Lu Lan (Chn) bt Zhu Lin (Chn) 17-21, 21-7, 21-10
Men’s singles:
Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) bt Sho Sasaki (Jpn) 19-21, 21-14, 21-15
Chetan Anand (Ind) bt Andrew Smith (Eng) 21-6, 21-9
Women’s doubles:
Chien Yu Chin/ Cheng Wen Hsing (Taipei) bt Sari/ Yao Lei (Singapore) 21-13, 21-17
Miyuki Maeda/ Satoko Suetsuna (Jpn) bt Kamila Augustyn/ Nadieza Kostiuczyk (Pol) 21-18, 21-17
Men’s doubles:
Chan Chong Ming/ Chew Eng Choon (Mas) bt Candra Wijaya (Ina) / Tony Gunawan (US) 21-18, 9-21, 21-19