Lin upset in quarters

  JAKARTA — Jan O. Jorgensen shattered Lin Dan's dreams of a sixth world crown Friday, defeating the Chinese badminton legend and booking a semifinal showdown against Malaysian superstar Lee Chong Wei in Jakarta. The Danish shuttler overpowered Lin 21-12, 21-15, just the third time in his career. It was an emotional victory for Jorgensen, who was forced to withdraw from the world championships on home soil in Copenhagen last year despite being a real medal contender. The second-seed wiped tears from his eyes as he recalled the training and sacrifice he'd poured into preparing for this year's world championships. "Now here I am, playing some of the best badminton I've done ever," the 27-year-old told reporters. Jorgensen had one of the toughest draws in the men's singles, and many did not expect him to emerge triumphant from his tete-a-tete with Lin. But the fifth-seeded Chinese star never found his rhythm against Jorgensen, blaming everything from his physical condition to crowd noise for his poor showing. Badminton fans had been pining for a semifinal bout between Lin and Lee, archrivals who for years have provided some of the most explosive contests on the court. Lin, who has deprived Lee of gold medals not just at the world championships but the Olympics, expressed regret the old foes wouldn't clash again in Jakarta. "I'm quite disappointed I can't meet Lee Chong Wei," he said via a translator. "But I have to accept the result, because I didn't so very well today." Lee has returned from an eight-month doping ban guns blazing, convincing many his gold-medal drought at the world championships could come to an end in Jakarta. He brushed aside 13th seed Hu Yun of Hong Kong 21-12, 21-18 Friday, his third high-profile scalp in as many days. Jorgensen acknowledged the formidable task awaiting him Saturday, saying Lee was "more hungry than ever to show he is the best". "In my book he needs to have a gold, I just hope it's not this time," he said. Chen Long fought off a stubborn Viktor Axelsen to win 21-18, 30-29, with the plucky Dane pushing the top seed to the limit in an epic quarterfinal that lasted more than hour. Chen progresses to the semifinals where he will face fourth seed Kento Momota, who dispatched Hong Kong's Wei Nan 21-6, 21-14. In the women's singles, world No. 1 Carolina Marin appeared at her most confident as she charged past her toughest opponent yet, seventh seed Wang Shixian of China, 21-17, 21-19. She will face Korean Sung Ji-hyun after the ninth-seed beat India's P.V. Sindhu 21-17, 19-21, 21-16. Sindhu's compatriot Saina Newhwal emerged triumphant over Wang Yihan of China in marathon 72-minute contest, while Indonesia's Lindaweni Fanetri clawed back to defeat fourth seed Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan before a roaring home crowd. Unseeded Japanese pair Naoko Fukuman and Kurumi Yonao, who dismissed the second-ranked Chinese pair Thursday, continued their rampage in the women's doubles with a 25-23, 21-14 win over 13th seeded Indian pair Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa. In a rematch of last year's final, defending champions Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei beat their Chinese compatriots Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang, ending Yu's hopes of becoming the first player in history to win four women's doubles gold medals. The semifinals get underway in Jakarta Saturday. — AFP