GUANGZHOU - World top badminton player Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia was given a chance to redeem his loss in the team event against Thailand when he meets Boonsak Ponsana in a quarterfinal rematch at the Asian Games.
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 Lin Dan returns a shot to Hu Bin from Hong Kong, China during the men’s singles badminton quarterfinal match at the Asian Games in Guangzhou Nov 18, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua] |
Lee defeated Chan Yan Kit from Hong Kong, China 17-21, 21-9, 21-6 on Thursday when Ponsana beat Indonesian Arvind Bhat 21-19, 21-12 in the round of 16.
The victory put Lee, 27, in the rematch with the Thai ace after he lost to Ponsana in the first men's singles in the two teams' quarterfinal clash. Malaysia eventually was stunned 3-2 and Thailand went on to bag a bronze medal.
"I had a headache when playing in men's team matches. And I have injured my waist," Lee said about his team match last Saturday.
"But I won't think too much about it. I just want to keep on playing every match and do well in men's singles," he added.
Chinese Lin Dan and Chen Jin both sailed into the quarterfinals.
Lin eased past Hu Yun of Hong Kong, China 21-6, 21-13 while Chen spent a little more than half an hour to beat Lee Hyunil in a long-time rivalry during which he edged the South Korean for the Beijing Olympics singels bronze.
Lin, Beijing Olympics and three time world champion, said a team title is good enough and the singles glory could be a plus.
"I think a team title gave me enough satisfaction at these Asian Games," said Lin who led the team to defend the title after beating South Korea 3-1 on Monday.
Lin booked a last eight meeting with Vietnamese Nguyen Tien Minh who got past T. Saensomboonsuk of Thailand 21-18, 21-13.
Chen is going to meet Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei who continued his run by defeating Kazushi Yamada of Japan 21-15, 21-15. Chou staged a surprise on Wednesday by eliminating seventh seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.
Chou said Friday's meeting could be tough.
"Although I beat him several months ago, he was injured at that time," said Chou, who defeated newly crowned world champion Chen in China Masters.
"I really want to win an Asian Games medal because I've never won one," he added.
Former Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia will take on Park Sunghwan.
Taufik romped past Dinuka Karunaratna of Sri Lanka 21-14, 21-9 and Park beat Muhammad Hafiz Hashim from Malaysia 21-18, 21-16.
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