Fu Haifeng Archives - Page 4 of 4

Haifeng: Partnership with Cai Yun is over (pic)

BIRMINGHAM: Four-time world champion Fu Haifeng believes that his 12-year partnership with Cai Yun has come to an end.

The 30-year-old Haifeng and Cai Yun are one of the most celebrated men’s doubles pairs in the world.

Together, they have won four world titles, an Olympic gold medal (2008), and led China to the Thomas Cup for six straight editions since 2004.

Although Haifeng is not ready to call time on his career, he believes that the partnership with Cai Yun is no longer viable.

In fact, Haifeng has already started trying out several different partners since the world championships in Guangzhou last year, namely with Hong Wei and Zhang Nan.

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From friends to foes for Chinese Olympic champs

LONDON: United, Fu Haifeng and Cai Yun stand as an unstoppable force in men's badminton doubles, hauling in four World Championships and an Olympic gold medal. Divided? One will have to fall when they meet at the All England badminton championships.

The duo said they would continue to play together after winning gold in London in 2012, but the Chinese have been experimenting with their lineups and Fu is partnering Zhang Nan, while Cai is with Kai Lu in Birmingham.

The new pairs will square off against each other in the first round proper.

"The All England is an incredible tournament and everyone who plays here wants to win," said Fu.

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Badminton International Challenge kicks off in Lingshui of China

Badminton World Federation (BWF) International Challenge kicked off on Feb. 12 in Lingshui of Hainan Province.

The tournament attracts more than 150 players from China, the United States, Malaysia, Hongkong, China.

Among the top-ranked players competing in the tournament are Lin Dan of China and Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia as well as Olympic doubles champion Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng.

The tournament will last five days from 12 to 16. And the total prize is 50,000 US dollars.

Chong Wei’s ‘sick’ of being the go-to-guy (pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei has had enough of being the sole flag bearer for Malaysian badminton on the international scene.

And on Friday, after reaching the men’s singles’ semi-finals of the Korean Open in Seoul, he issued a clarion call to all his team-mates – especially the younger ones – to wake up and step out of their comfort zone.

The 31-year-old Chong Wei bulldozed past a hapless Du Pengyu of China 21-9, 21-12 in just 35 minutes to set up a meeting with Japan’s Kenichi Tago in the semi-finals on Saturday.

He is the only Malaysian survivor in the season-opener after Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem went down with a whimper against top seeds Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark in the men’s doubles quarter-finals.

The Malaysians lost 10-21, 9-21 in just 31 minutes.

Two-time Olympic Games silver medallist Chong Wei said that it was time everyone stopped depending on him, starting with the Korean Open.

Continue reading Chong Wei’s ‘sick’ of being the go-to-guy (pic)

Doubles pair wary of chill factor in Korea (pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s doubles champion Tan Wee Kiong-Hoon Thien How will be fighting on two fronts when they start their campaign in the Korean Open on Wednesday.

On Saturday, the duo and compatriots Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem left for Seoul for the season opener of the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) Super Series.

The 24-year-old Wee Kiong said their opening round match would be “treacherous”.

“The weather in Seoul is below 13°C. It is really cold. On top of that, we have a tricky opening match against an upcoming pair from China (Kang Jun-Liu Cheng). We cannot take them lightly.

“We have to balance our act. We have to adapt to the cold condition and also stay on guard against the Chinese pair,” said Wee Kiong.

Continue reading Doubles pair wary of chill factor in Korea (pic)