2010 World Cup: Spain and Holland to make history

Spain and Holland are to write a new record in the World Cup history as they will clash in the 2010 World Cup final in Johannesburg, South Africa. Both countries have never won a World Cup, although Holland came close twice when they reached the finals in 1974 and 1978.

The Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2 in the first semi-final on Wednesday (7/7), through the goals of captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Arjen Robben, and Wesley Sneijder.

Meanwhile, a day later (7/8), Spain upset Germany 1-0 through Barcelona defender Carles Puyol's header.

Arsenal stars Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie will meet each other in the final; however, they are in two different situations. Fabregas played only two matches in South Africa, and he was a substitute, while van Persie regularly started on the pitch.

Fabregas told the Sun: "If I'm lucky enough to get a start, I will give everything I have. But if I have to start on the bench, then so be it. All I can pray for is that I get a chance to play some part of this unbelievable game.

"If I'm not in the team, I will know deep down that Spain winning the World Cup is more important than Cesc Fabregas starting the game or not. So I will still be 100% behind the boys who do go out there. And I will be thinking about what I will do, what I must do if I come on."

The Arsenal captain heaped praise on his country's achievement of reaching the final and spoke of his anticipation of coming toe-to-toe with his club colleague Robin van Persie.

He said: "It is a privilege to be part of this Spanish team because we try to play the correct way.

"I know Holland invented Total Football back in the 1970s, and I know those players made the game beautiful to watch. But we try to play the same way and I think the world can see that. Against Germany, we never gave up our principles - pass, pass, pass and never stop trying to score. Eventually we got our reward.

"I have been texting Robin and we realised the only way we could face each other here was in the World Cup final. We joked about it after the early games and it is fantastic that it has now actually happened.

"It is great for us and it is great for Arsenal to have two players at the World Cup final."

Van Persie also sounded a similar response in an interview with FIFA:

"It’s always a bit strange to play against your colleagues, and we have been in touch via SMS a couple of times. Cesc is a fantastic player. I also find it really strange that he isn’t in the first team for Spain. I don't understand that at all. I think he’s incredible. I’ve been playing at Arsenal for six years with him and every year he’s improved. He’s the captain of our team and I have a lot of respect for him."

Netherlands vs. Spain match facts:

• This will be the seventh all-European final and means that a European nation will win the tournament for a record 10th time.

• It will be the first final to not include one of Brazil, (West)Germany, Argentina or Italy

• Netherlands go into the final unbeaten and if they are victorious on Sunday, they will become only the fifth side to register a 100% record in WC finals so far, joining Uruguay in 1930, Italy in 1938, and Brazil in 1970 and 2002.

• The Dutch also had a 100% record in qualification for South Africa and could become only the second nation ever to win all their qualifiers and finals games, after Brazil achieved this feat in 1970.

• The Dutch are now unbeaten in 25 successive international matches and have conceded more than one goal in only one of their last 14 games in World Cup finals tournaments (1-2 v Croatia in the 1998 third-place play-off).

• Spain are the first reigning European champions to participate in the World Cup final since West Germany in 1982 and are the 12th different side to reach a World Cup final.

• If Spain - who have seven goals - are to avoid becoming the lowest scoring winners of all time, they will need to net at least four. Italy (1938), England (1966) and Brazil (1994) all won the tournament with 11.

• Xavi has created 25 goalscoring chances in this tournament - eight more than any other player. He has made 560 passes at this tournament, completing 509 so far. Only Dunga (Brazil 1994) has completed more in a single World Cup tournament since 1966.

Germany Finished Third

Port Elizabeth (7/10) - Germany relieved their disappointment of failing to reach final by taking the third place.

They did the same thing four years ago in their homeland, beating Portugal for third place after losing to Italy in the semi-final.

And now they defeated Uruguay 3-2 (1-1). The German side led by Thomas Mueller's goal in the 19th minute, but Uruguay struck twice to reverse the position 2-1 through Edison Cavani (28') and Diego Forlan (51').

Marcell Jansen and Sami Kheidira saved the Germans' day by contributing a goal each, Jansen in the 56th minute and Kheidira in the 82th minute.

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pictures by reuters.com

Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold Semi-final Results

Men's Singles
4-Wong Choong Hann (MAS) def. 2-Taufik Hidayat (INA) 21-15, 24-22
1-Lee Chong Wei (MAS) def. 14-Jayram Ajay (IND) 21-16, 21-13

Women's Singles
2-Zhou Mi (MAS) def. 4-Wong Mew Choo (MAS) 19-21, 21-12, 21-15
3-Yip Pui Yin (HKG) def. 1-Pi Hongyan (FRA)10-21, 21-10, 21-11

Men's Doubles
Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan (INA) def. Yohan Wiratama/Wong Wai Hong (HKG) 21-6, 21-16
Alvent Yulianto/Hendra Aprida Gunawan (INA) def. Mak Hee Chun/Tan Wee Kiong (MAS) 21-13, 21-11

Women's Doubles
4-Duanganong Aroonkesorn/Kuchala Worawichitchaikul (THA) def. Melati Nadya/Vita Marissa (INA)13-21, 21-17, 21-17
Ng Hui Ern/Ng Hui Lin (MAS) def. 5-Zhang Dan/Zhang Zhibo (MAC) 21-10, 21-11

Mixed Doubles
3-Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thungthongkam (THA) def. Markis Kido/Lita Nurlita (INA) 15-21, 21-12, 21-15
Devin Lahardi/Lilyana Natsir (INA) def. Ong Jian Guo/Chong Sook Chin (MAS) 21-13, 21-16

2010 World Cup: Germany Demolition, Spanish Conquest

Germany embarrassed Argentina 4-0 in the quarter-final match of 2010 FIFA World Cup in Cape Town's Green Point Stadium. Thomas Muller scored the fastest goal in the tournament, when the game was only three minutes long.

Miroslav Klose gave Germany a 2-0 lead in the 68th minute, followed by Arne Friedrich's goal six minutes later. Klose then scored his second goal of the match one minute before time for a memorable German triumph.

Argentina was not without efforts but Gonzalo Higuain and Angel di Maria's efforts were blocked by Manuel Neuer. The world's best player, Lionel Messi, was forced to go home without a goal as he was kept guarded throughout the match.



Meanwhile, in the later match in Johannesburg, Spain got ahead of Paraguay with only a 1-0 win. More goals could have been created in the match, as two penalties were given by the referee. However, Spain's Iker Casillas saved Oscar Cardozo's penalty kick while few minutes later, Paraguay's Justo Villar cleared out the ball from Xabi Alonso.

The winner was decided only 7 minutes before the match ended. Midfielder Andres Iniesta and substitute Pedro each made an attempt to score but it was David Villa who succeeded. The ball hit the left-hand post and the right-hand post before it rebounded into the net.

Spain will face Germany in the semi-final. The winner of this match will meet either the Netherlands or Uruguay in the final.

photos from fifa.com and reuters.com

Once Again, Serena

London (7/3) - World number one, three-times winner, and defending champion - Serena Williams arrived in Wimbledon with all those titles. And now she has done it: clinching her fourth cup and her 13th Grand Slam title last Saturday.

Serena, who was champion in 2000, 2008, and 2009, confidently thrashed 21-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-3, 6-2.

With this win, Serena was just one title short of her sister Venus, who had five Wimbledon titles, corroborating the Williams dominion in Wimbledon, with the sisters claiming 9 in the last 11 years.

photos from wimbledon.org

2010 World Cup: Netherlands 2-1 Brazil

Port Elizabeth (7/2) - The Netherlands became the first team to go into the last four as the "Oranje" team defeated five-times world cup winner Brazil 2-1.

The Brazilians got off with a good start. Robinho seemed to score in the 7th minute but the referee judged that he was offside. Yet only 3 minutes later, Robinho fired Felipe Melo's pass into the bottom right corner. Until the first-half ended, the Brazilians led 1-0.

The Dutchmen struck back when a free-kick by Arjen Robben found Wesley Sneijder swung in a cross from out the penalty area on the right. Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar and defender Felipe Melo tried to clear out but the ball, hitting Melo's shoulder, was flung into the net.

The winning goal was scored in the 66th minute by Sneijder, following Dirk Kuyt's corner kick. The Inter striker now tallied 3 goals from five matches.

In the 73th minute, Felipe Melo was sent off for fouling Robben, apparently giving way to his temper and stepping on Robben's leg.

When the final whistle was blown, it was euphoria for the Netherlands but heartbreak for Brazil. The Netherlands now would meet the winner of the Uruguay-Ghana match in the semi-final.

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Thomas Cup for China Again

Favorite China won their fourth Thomas Cup title in a row and their eighth title. The master had better quality in skill and mental compared to Indonesia that they humbled the 13-time champion just 3-0.

Four-time All England and three-time world champion Lin Dan excelled Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat 21-7, 21-14 in just 44 minutes. Mighty Lin Dan effortlessly led the match in the first set. And the score was 11-1 for Lin Dan when the players took a break in the first set. Lin Dan won 5 smash winners and 7 net winners, compared to Taufik's 3 and 1.



In the beginning of the second set, Taufik tried to show some fight by leading 2-0, but Lin Dan was able to equalized the score until he left Taufik 7-4 and 12-5 to win 21-14 and clinched China's first point.

Lin Dan celebrated his win by hugging his coach after his win.

Lin Dan is happy with his straight-set win

I am tired, very tired. I hope to change my economy class ticket to first class when we return home tonight,” he said.

“I am happy to have got the chance to play (Lee) Chong Wei and Taufik and beating them both. They are two of the best players in the world. Chong Wei is still the most difficult player to play against.

“Today, we (Taufik and myself) tried to win the first point for our country. It was our responsibility to get the first point and I won.

“I put in a lot of effort in my win but I must say that I am not a class above the rest as many have made out. Chong Wei, Taufik and Peter (Gade Christensen) are at the same level.

“We have players like Chen Jin, Bao Chunlai and Chen Hong in the next group.”

Chinese team pose

In the second match, Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng fought hard to defeat 2008 Olympic gold medalists Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan 25-23, 16-21, and 21-12 - making China led 2-0.

In the last match, Indonesia's Simon Santoso surprised China's Chen Jin with a 19-21 first-set win. However, Chen Jin struggled to grasp the second-set win and downed Simon's mental in the third set that Chen Jin won easily 21-7. With a 19-21, 21-17, and 21-7 victory, Chen Jin contributed it to China's 3-0 win.

Japanese Thomas and Uber Cup team

Malaysia Thomas Cup team

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pictures by thomasuberkl2010 and internationalbadminton

Back to Final

Roger Federer celebrates his win

Madrid - Defending champion Roger Federer reached his first final after Australian Open last January. He worked hard to outlast local player David Ferrer 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. He is closer to equalizing Andre Agassi's and Rafael Nadal's 17 ATP Masters Series or now ATP-Masters 1000 tally.

Last year's final will be repeated as Federer will take on Rafael Nadal who defeated another Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 4-6, 6-2, and 6-2 in the semi-final.

Federer said after his victory: "I think I served really well. In the first set, there was some of my best serving in a long time.

"I knew on clay I was always going to go through a tougher period as well. That's what happened in the second set. I was serving with the old balls, the next change was coming and then one game after, I missed the two first serves, double faulted on the third and I was down 0-40 and he took advantage of that and it just shows what a tough competitor he is.

"He's one of the great return players in the game on the second serve. He makes you work extremely hard and that´s why he´s been so successful on clay.

"He doesn't miss much and he fights like crazy and it works well. He´s really improved a lot of the last couple of years. So I knew the danger and I'm extremely happy that I prevailed."

This win becomes a boost for Federer to defend his French Open title next month.

quote from espnstar

Korean Girls Make History

Kuala Lumpur (5/15) - For the first time in history, South Korea will bring home the Uber Cup after embarrassing defending champions China 3-1.

The Chinese girls who played today are in the top spots of the BWF World Ranking, like Wang Yihan (1), Ma Jin/Wang Xiaoli (1), Wang Xin (2), and Du Jing/Yu Yang (2). China had also beaten Korea five times previously in the Uber Cup final and they would do it again, so boasted the Chinese manager Li Yongbo. Despite that fact and remark, the Koreans were not overawed.

Bae Sung-hee boosted her teammates' spirit as well as depressing the opponent's side, conquering 2009 All England winner Wang Yihan in just straight sets 23-21 and 21-11.

In the second match, Lee Hyo-jung and Kim Min-jung extended their country's advantage. After struggling 18-21 in the first set, Lee and Kim were never left behind by Ma Jin and Wang Xiaoli to capture the second and third sets 21-12 and 21-15.

Wang Xin gave her country a moment to breathe by subduing Sung Ji-hyun 21-14, 16-21, and 21-7.

The fourth match was an exciting one. Lee Kyung-won and Ha Jung-eun well knew that they should win if they wanted to win the cup, while Du Jing and Yu Yang had to win also if they desired the cup to stay longer in their country.

Lee and Ha made a late start when they surrendered in the first set 19-21, but took the second 21-14. The third was the decider. Du and Yu saved 2 match points before bowing out 19-21.

The Koreans rushed into the court to celebrate their first ever Uber Cup victory.

"This is a historic day for Korean badminton. We reached the finals five times before and we were beaten in all five by China. But today it was a different story, we were not the second fiddle.

"We've had enough of losing to the Chinese. The players were determined to break the jinx and we did it in Kuala Lumpur," said Korean manager Kim Jong-soo.

Meanwhile, Li Yongbo blamed inexperience for the defeat of his team and covered his disappointment by saying that it would be boring if China kept on winning.

"So it is good to let Korea win the Cup to give badminton some variety," he conceded.

But he also admitted that the Koreans "deserve to lift the Cup. They were the better team."

pictures and quotes from thomasuberkl2010.com

Too Powerful for Host

Kuala Lumpur (5/14) - China progress into Thomas Cup Final after destroying Malaysia 3-0. The defending champion is too powerful for the home players that all of the Chinese players only need two sets to win.

2008 Olympic gold-medalist and three-time world champion Lin Dan overcame world number one Lee Chong Wei 21-17 and 21-8 to give China their first point. Lin Dan also stopped Lee Chong Wei's unbeatable run in Thomas Cup.

In the end of the match, Lin Dan took off his shirt and performed a break dance.



“Malaysia have not won the Cup for 18 years and there were great expectations on him (Chong Wei).

“There was too much pressure on him,” said Lin Dan. “It is not that Chong Wei's game was predictable but, I think, he was under pressure and could not play his game.

“I knew that I could not let Chong Wei win the first point and I played well from the start. It was an important match for China too.”

Asked whether taking off his shirt was a celebration ritual for him, Lin Dan said humorously: “The first time I took off my shirt was at the 2004 Thomas Cup Finals. I was so happy when I defeated Peter (Gade-Christensen of Denmark). I was young then.

“This time, I took off to see whether I am as muscular as before!”

Lin Dan's head-to-head against Lee Chong Wei is now 13-5. While Lin Dan was happy, Lee Chong Wei was very sad.

“I’m disappointed and sorry for the fans as I could not deliver a point.

“It suddenly felt like the court was too small and I could not see any space to hit the shuttle. I was demoralised when he retrieved all my attacking shots,” said Chong Wei.

“He took a 10-3 lead in the opening game and that rattled me. I lost my focus and found it hard to narrow the gap,” said Chong Wei

“All of a sudden I felt that my standard had dropped. Lin Dan was too good today.”

“I didn’t play well today at all. I’m not giving any excuses or say that there was added pressure on me to deliver due to the large crowd. Lin was just too good today."

More Defeat

Fans were disappointed again when another world number one Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong were defeated easily by Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng in a 36-minute match, 15-21 and 21-10.

Boon Heong admitted that “we lost to a better pair”.

“They were good in all departments today. They were fast in their attack, solid in defence and able to read our game,” said Boon Heong.

“Overall, they were more solid. Kien Keat and I tried our best but it just did not happen for us.”

“We have lost to them in team events for four times. It is not because we are not good team players. We are but they were just too good today. We will work harder to get the better of them," said Kien Keat.

Ultimately, Chen Jin of China ended Malaysia with a 21-16, 21-7 victory over Wong Choong Hann.


Chen Jin shakes hand with Choong Hann

In the other semi-final which was held earlier, Indonesia beat Japan 3-1. After Taufik Hidayat defeat Kenichi Tago and Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan defeat Kenichi Hayakawa/Kenta Kazuno in comfortable two-set matches, Japanese Sho Sasaki stunned Simon Santoso 21-19, 13-21, and 21-11.

Japan almost equalized the score 2-2 when Hiroyuki Endo and Noriyasu Hirata chased Nova Widhianto/Alvent Yulianto's points in the second set. Left 15-20, Hiroyuki/Noriyasu made it 20-20 but failed to create a good finish that the Indonesian pair won 21-14 and 22-20.

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pictures by thestar and thomasuberkl2010

Uber Cup: Korea to Set Up Final Clash with Defending Champion

Lee Hyo-jung and Kim Min-jung celebrates win

Kuala Lumpur (5/13) - Defeating Japan 3-1 in Stadium Putra, Korea advances to Uber Cup final to face defending champion China.

Bae Seung-hee delivered first point for Korea as she vanquished Eriko Hirose 21-12 and 21-16. Lee Hyo-jung and Kim Min-jung contributed more point for Korea with a 21-19, 21-10 victory over Japanese Satoko Suetsuna and Miyuki Maeda.

Japan gained 1 point from their second singles player, Ai Goto, who subdued Bae Yoon-joo 21-10, 22-20. Finally, Lee Kyung-won and Ha Jung-eun brought Korea to their sixth final after defeating Mizuki Fujii/Reika Kakiiwa 21-14 and 21-18.

Korean team

In the other semi-final, China was too powerful for last Uber Cup runner-up Indonesia. Wang Yihan overthrew Maria Febe in an easy 37-minute match, 21-7 and 21-12. Moreover, world number one pair Ma Jin and Wang Xiaoli prevailed over Greysia Polii/Meiliana Jauhari 21-17, 21-13 before Wang Xin (left) clinched China's winning point with a 21-17, 21-15 triumph over Indonesia's Adrianti Firdasari.

After the match, coach Li Yongbo boasted his team will beat Korea in the final. "The final will be tough but the outcome will be same...we will win again. We have beaten the Koreans in our previous five meetings in the final. Come this Saturday, we will make it six,” said Yongbo.

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Double Repeated Matches

There are two same matches in Thomas Cup quarter-final: China vs. Korea and Indonesia vs. India. China had beaten Korea in the last Group A match 4-1 and Indonesia had beat India also 4-1 in the last Group D match.

And again, China downed Korea to ease into Thomas Cup semi-final. Both China and Korea used the same formation as yesterday. Lin Dan surpassed Park Sung-hwan again and this time was easier then the previous one. He only needed two sets to give China a 1-0 lead with a 21-16, 21-15 triumph.

"I am playing better and better. My form is okay but I will not underrate any opponent,"Lin Dan uttered.

Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng outshone Jung Jae-sung and Shin Baek-cheol 21-11, 21-16, continued by Chen Jin's 21-15, 21-12 win over Shon Wan-ho to give China a semi-final ticket.

In Indonesia clash, India failed to show any battle to Indonesia except for Kashyap Parupalli's striving to defeat Taufik Hidayat in the first match. However, he still lost 21-12, 10-21, and 17-21. In the second match, Markid Kido/Hendra Setiawan defeated Sanave Thomas and Akshay Dewalkar in straight sets, 21-16 and 21-17. Simon Santoso surmounted Arvind Bhat 21-8, 21-10 without any effort for the winning point.

Commenting the twice meeting with Korea, China manager Li Yongbo said that the redraw was very funny. "We played against the same line-up from Korea, on the same court and in the same stadium and won the same matches. Our fans at home might have thought it was a replay of the previous day's match. This is really funny."

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Japan 3-1 Germany; Malaysia 3-2 Denmark

Japanese Kenichi Tago successfully defeated Marc Zwiebler in the first men's singles match of Japan vs Germany. Zwiebler gave Kenichi a tough fight that Kenichi had struggled to win in rubber sets, 15-21, 21-18, and 21-18.

However, Michael Fuchs/Kristof Hopp stunned Hiroyuki Endo/Yoshiteru Hirobe 16-21, 21-19, and 24-22, tying 1-1. Sho Sasaki gave Japan a lead 2-1 with a 21-19, 21-17 victory until Kenichi Hayakawa and Kenta Kazuno conquered Ingo Kinderwater and Johannes Schoettler 21-16, 21-16 to book a semi-final place against Indonesia.

In other Thomas Cup match, Malaysia almost met the same fate as losing to Japan as they survived a scare to beat Denmark. It seemed clear that Malaysia would surely progress to the semi-final as Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong again made the lead 2-0.

Wong Choong Hann failed to score 3-0 that he went down 20-22, 21-16, and 18-21 by Jan O Jorgensen. And Zakry, now partnered with Hoon Thien How, added Denmark's joy to make the point 2-2 as the Malaysians bowed down to Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen 26-24, 12-21, and 19-21.

Joachim Persson did not use the opportunity to bring his team to the semi-final after losing to Hafiz Hashim 12-21 and 10-21. Malaysia won 3-2 to meet defending champion China in the semi-final.

Uber Cup Quarter-final Results:

Indonesia 3-0 Malaysia

Adriyanti Firdasari def. Wong Mew Choo

Greysia Polii/Nitya Krishinda def. Wong Pei Tty/Chin Eei Hui

Maria Kristin def. Tee Jing Yee

Japan 3-1 Denmark

Eriko Hirose def. Camilla Sorensen

Kamilla Rytter Juhl/Christinna Pedersen def. Satoko Suetsuna/Miyuki Maeda

Ai Goto def. Karina Jorgensen

Mizuki Fujii/Reika Kakiiwa def. Lena Frier Kristiansen/Maria Ropke

China 3-0 India

Wang Yihan def. Saina Nehwal

Ma Jin/Wang Xiaoli def. Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnapa

Wang Xin def. Sayali Gokhale

Korea 3-1 Russia

Bae Sung-hee def. Ella Diehl

Lee Hyo-jung/Kim Min-jung def. Valeria Sorokina/Nina Vislova

Tatjana Bibik def. Sung Ji-hyun

Ha Jung-eun/Jang Kyung-eun def. Ksenia Polikarpova/Anastasia Russkikh

China Top Group A

Kuala Lumpur (5/11) - As the defending champion, China topped both group A in Thomas and Uber Cup.

China beat last Thomas Cup runner-up Korea 4-1 to confirm their place as Thomas Cup Group A winner. Three-times world champion Lin Dan played Korean Park Sung-hwan in the first match. The match was not easy for the Chinese. He led the first set against Korean Park Sung-hwan 21-18. However, in the second set, Park forced Lin Dan to play deuce. 26-year-old Lin Dan finally conquered Park 25-23.

“I was not so focused in the second game but I was lucky at the net. I was prepared to play a rubber game at that point but it did not happen,” Lin Dan said after the match.

“I think Sung-hwan is capable of playing a much better game. He certainly did not give a 100% effort today.”

Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng played their first match in Thomas Cup, defeating Shin Baek-cheol and Jung Jae-sung 21-11 and 21-12. Finally, Chen Jin assured the winning of China by beating Shon Wan-ho 21-14 and 21-13.

China failed to win perfect 5-0 as their second men's doubles pair, Guo Zhendong/Xu Chen, bowed down in the hands of Yoo Yeon-seong/Ko Sung-hyun in a three-set match, 19-21, 21-19, and 19-21. In the last match, Bao Chunlai surmounted Lee Hyun-il 21-18 and 21-15.

In the Uber Cup, China showed their class to Malaysia as they mastered the latter 5-0. Instead of playing their best singles' player Wong Mew Choo, Malaysia place Sanatasah Saniru to meet world number one Wang Yihan. Wang beat Sanatasah in a comfortable 21-11, 21-8 win.

It seemed that Malaysia had surrendered from the first that they did not play their best doubles pair also. Goh Liu Ying and Ng Hui Lin played against Ma Jin and Wang Xiaoli. Again the Chinese pair overpowered Goh an Ng 21-18, 21-10. Wang Xin clasped the winning after subdueing Tee Jing Yi 21-12 and 21-5. Yu Yang/Du Jing and Jiang Yanjiao added China two more points.

Home Falls to Japan, Tazari Shows Bad Manner

Watched by their fans, Thomas Cup home team Malaysia was humbled surprisingly 2-3 by Japan. The deciding key to Japan's victory is Sho Sasaki's win over 33-year-old Wong Choong Hann in the second singles match. Even though Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong had won in the first two matches, Japan did lose their power and hope as they rose from early defeat.

Sho subjugated Choong Hann to made the point 1-2 in straight sets, 21-17, 21-18. Choong Hann, who was recalled to the national team, said, "I was hesitant and was comfortable with the way I played. I was playing against Sasaki for the first time and he did well to play a patient game.

After Choong Hann's defeat, Zakry and Fairuzizuan Tazari brought more grieves to the fans as they lost 15-21, 12-21 to Kenichi Hayakawa and Kenta Kazuno. Even Tazari could not control himself after receiving jeers from emotional fans and reacted to them. But he quickly apologized at the press conference with tears in his eyes.

Japanese Shoji Sato put Japan to the top of Group B as he won the deciding match against Hafiz Hashim in three sets, 21-10, 14-21, and 21-18.

"I am disappointed with what some of the fans did to Zakry and Fairuzizuan. Yes, maybe it was not their good day but booing and criticizing us openly is not the way to do it," commented Zakry and Tazari's compatriot Chong Wei.

"As a team captain, I feel for my teammates. No one in my team is playing to lose. They are here to give their best."

Uber Cup results:

Japan 5-0 Russia

South Korea 4-1 India

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