28 April 2006
Sendai (Japan): Chetan Anand's brave fight against the World No 1 was the the only highlight for India who were thrashed 0-5 by defending champions China in their first league match of Thomas Cup badminton finals here on Friday.
Anand, ranked 24, gave a scare to Lin Dan as he snatched the second game but the champion
finally emerged unscathed 21-8, 21-23, 21-11 to win the first match of the tie.
From thereafter, it was a one-sided affair as China gave no further room to India and
stamped their supermacy, routing other players in straight games.
The doubles combination of Rupesh Kumar and V Diju went down 5-21, 16-21 to Fu Haifeng
and Cai Yun in the second match.
World no 9 Chen Jin got the better of national champion Anup Sridhar 21-14, 21-10 to seal the
tie in China's favour.
The scratch doubles combine of Thomas Kurien and Jaseel Ismail lost 6-21, 10-21 to Bo
Zhang and Guo Zhendeng in the inconsequential match.
Arvind Bhat went down 15-21, 10-21 in the last singles to Xia Xuanze.
India, who last qualified for the world team badminton Championship in 2000, would next
play Germany in their last league match on Saturday. Beating Germany would be the key for
India to reach the knock-out stage.
The results: Thomas Cup: Group A: China bt India 5-0 (Lin Dan bt Chetan Anand 21-8, 21-23, 21-11; Fu Haifeng/Cai Yun bt Rupesh Kumar/Diju V 21-5, 21-16; Chen Jin bt Anup Sridhar 21-14, 21-10; Zheng Bo/Guo Zhendong bt Thomas Kurian/Jaseel P. Ismail 21-6, 21-10; Xia Zuanze bt Arvind Bhat 21-15, 21-10).
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