Lin Dan ends Sridhar's giant-killing run

Defending champion Lin Dan brought Anup Sridhar's dream run at the World Badminton Championships to an end in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

The Chinese world No 1 needed only 38 minutes to finish off the Indian's challenge in the quarter-finals, winning 22-20, 21-9.

Sridhar, who had beaten Olympic champions Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia and Hafiz B Hashim of Malaysia en route to the last eight stage, was unable to reproduce the same rhythm against the Chinese ace and caved in tamely.

He converted 12 winners at the net to run Dan close in the first game but failed to test the Chinese top seed in the second.

Down 2-6 in the first game, the Bangalore boy clawed his way back with some delicate net play and drew abreast at 10-10 before forging ahead at 12-11.

Sridhar then went 20-19 ahead, a point away from taking the first game, but luck was not on his side as Lin saved the game point and proceded to wrap the game at 22-20.

The Chinese was in command in the second game and systematically demolished the Indian.

Having got a taste of his net play in the first game, Lin was quick to read Sridhar's tactics in the second and raced to a 7-1 lead. He scored eight net winners to the Indian's three to emerge a comfortable victor.

Sridhar will be more than happy with what he achieved in the tournament. His world ranking of 40 is sure to go up with the quarter-final appearance.

Dan will play countryman and fourth seed Chunlai Bao in the semi-finals. Bao, seeded fourth, beat Kenneth Jonassen of Denmark 21-11, 21-11.