Vietnam’s badminton No.1 Nguy ễ n Ti ế n Minh lost 1-2 to Chinese player Bao Chunlai in the semifinals of the YONEX-SUNRISE Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold 2011 in Alor Setar City on Saturday.
With three previous losses to the 11th-ranked Chinese rival in the Indonesia Super Series 2008, Singapore Super Series 2009 and Japan Super Series 2009, the 8th-ranked Vietnamese was not confident enough in the first set and lost 12-21.
Minh improved in the second set and led 17-12, 18-13; yet he faced some difficulty before he could only win the set 21-19.
In the decider, the two competitors were on equal terms until it was 13-13 before the Chinese contestant went straight on to take the set 21-14.
In the final match on Sunday, Bao Chunlai will clash with the world number one Malaysian Lee Chong Wei, who swept aside the 17th-ranked Sho Sasaki in straight set in the other semifinal game.
Source: Thanh Nien
