Badminton-Chong Wei ends Guatemalan dream

LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Top seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia swiftly ended the astonishing run of Guatemala's Kevin

Cordon on Friday, dispatching him 21-7 21-13 in 25 minutes in
their world championships quarter-final at Wembley Arena.
                                                                   

Cordon had beaten China's fifth seed Chen Long in a big
opening round upset, the first victory on his way to a meeting
with the world number one.

                                                                   
The 24-year-old took a 3-0 lead but it was to be a false
dawn and Chong Wei, at the top of his game at this tournament,
swept into the semis.

                                                                   
Cordon, world-ranked 34, has been training in Spain since
March. He told reporters: "Yesterday I played for 71 minutes and
it was a very hard game and I was tired after three full matches
this week.

                                                                   
"But I lost to the best player in the world and he's quite
difficult to play against.

                                                                   
"Most of the time you know when you've got your best shots
in and you think the shuttle is on the ground but with the kind
of player he is it does not work like that."

                                                                   
Chong Wei, chasing his first world title, will face
defending champion Chen Jin in the semis if the Chinese disposes
of Denmark's Hans-Kristian Vittinghus later on Friday.

                                                                   
The Malaysian said: "It would be a tough match but I beat
him at the Asian Games last year."

                                                                   
In the women's singles, Commonwealth champion Saina Nehwal
lost 21-15 21-10 to third-seeded Chinese Wang Xin. The Indian
said: "She played really fast and I lost my confidence."

(Editing by Ed Osmond)