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Home , Cai Yun, Chen Jin (badminton), Fu Haifeng, Lin Dan, Li Yongbo, Markis Kido

NOVEMBER 15, 20 DAILY PAGE 5 Hidayat no Sweet revenge for China over ROK match for REVAMPED ROSTER POWERS WOMEN’S SQUAD TO CONVINCING WIN AGAINST ARCHRIVAL Super Dan

By TANG YUE By TANG YUE CHINA DAILY CHINA DAILY

GUANGZHOU — Th e Chinese — China women’s badminton team realized badminton superstar Dan its biggest dream at the Guang- emerged victorious over Indo- zhou Games on Sunday — and nesian archrival Taufi k Hidayat it didn’t involve standing atop the on Sunday night in the men’s podium. team competition to earn a With a new place in the fi nal. lineup and huge But Hidayat seemed rather support from non-plussed aft er his side’s 3-0 the home crowd, semifi nal capitulation. China defeated “I don’t think this is very bad the Republic of because lost BADMINTON Korea (ROK), 3- too,” Taufi k said of the Malay- 0, in a highly-anticipated matchup sian world No 1 who was upset in the semifi nals, six months aft er by Th ai in the its unexpected loss to the same quarterfi nals of the team event, team in the fi nal in Kuala which Th ailand won 3-2. Lumpur. “I enjoyed the match (with “Last time, we overestimated Lin) very much. If I win, I win. ourselves and ended up on the If I lose, it’s no problem for me. losing end,” China’s head coach, I’m not like I was three or four , said while recalling the years ago, where I was thinking, showdown that ended the team’s ‘I need to get a title’,” Hidayat 12-year stranglehold on the event. said. “In Guangzhou, we adjusted the Aft er a quick 21-13 loss in the squad and asked the players to go fi rst game, Taufi k had two game out on the court as the underdogs. points in the second, before los- Th at helped them feel relaxed and ing to Lin, 23-21. calm on the court.” “I should have taken more Li dropped then world No 1 control of the match. I was Yihan, who lost the open- leading in the second game, but ing singles match in the Uber I made a lot of mistakes and lost Cup fi nal, from the squad for this control,” said the 29-year-old. Asiad. “ was infi nitely better , who won the only than I was. I think I am in my match in China’s 3-1 loss in Malay- best condition now, but he was sia, played in Sunday’s opener better.” at the Tianhe Gymnasium and It was their fourth meeting defeated Bae Youn-joo in straight in the team event at the Asian sets — a player she defeated twice Games. Eight years ago, in in their most recent encounters. Busan, then 19-year-old Lin, “I feel so relaxed aft er winning who only played in the team the match. I knew there were great event, lost to Hidayat as China expectations on my shoulders. I was downed by 3-1 in had to win the opening match the semifi nals. for the team,” said the 25-year- At the 2006 Asiad, Lin old Wang. won both encounters — in a “The first set was tough, but group match and the semifi nals the second was easier. I always felt — en route to the champion- well and at ease. My ability has ship. improved, so I gradually got control In men’s singles, Hidayat of the match.” has won their only encounter China also altered its women’s — the fi nal in Doha, where he doubles pairing after it suffered defended his title. two losses at the Uber Cup. Wang In the other two China-Indo- Xiaoli and played the nesia team semifi nal matches on fi rst doubles match, defeating Lee EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY Sunday night, and kyung-won and Ha Jung-eun 21- of China returns a shot in Sunday’s badminton team semifi nal against the Republic of Korea. Yun defeated 12, 21-19. and Henra Setiawan 2-1 in the Wang Shixian, 20, in her first even better and won the match with “Our ultimate goal is not revenge China will compete against Th ai- doubles while Jin downed appearance for China in a team more ease,” coach Li said of Wang. … we have set our sights on the land for its fourth consecutive title in straight sets. event, locked up the victory by “But she is young and it is the fi rst Olympic Games. I’m glad at the Games. China will battle the Republic downing Bae Seung-hee 21-18, time she has played in a team event that we have given more players surprised Indonesia of Korea, which defeated Th ai- 18-21, 21-14. for China, so I am already satisfi ed experiences at a major event; that 3-1 in Sunday’s other semifinal land 3-1 in the semis, in the fi nal “I think she could have played with her eff ort today. will benefi t our preparations.” showdown. on Monday.