World champion Lin first to all-Chinese final

ODENSE, Denmark, Oct 27 (Reuters) World champion Lin Dan clinched his place in the Denmark Super Series final by ousting home crowd favourite Kenneth Jonassen in three sets today.

Lin ran out a 21-13 20-22 21-13 winner in their semi-final and now meets Chinese compatriot Bao Chunlai who beat Malaysia's number two seed Lee Chong Wei 11-21 21-18 21-16.

Unseeded Jonassen gave Lin a scare in the second set after the Chinese led all the way, only to surrender the last points.

''It was very good for Kenneth to win the second set, but he also had the home crowd advantage,'' Lin told Reuters.

The world champion showed no mercy in the decider and the enthusiastic home crowd saw their last hope of a Danish singles champion leave the court as a loser.

Chong Wei won the first set in the other semi, but Bao capitalised on the Malaysian's aching knee and won the match after exactly one hour on court.

''A week ago I was not able to train because of my knee, but it will get better. It is not serious,'' Chong Wei told Reuters.

Winner of the Japan Open last month, Chong Wei might have fancied his chances against top seed Lin, having beaten him twice since June, but now loses ground in the Super Series.

''It will be very difficult to win the Series if Lin wins here because then he will have four victories and I will have only two.'' Denmark is round nine of the 12-tournament Super Series. It moves to Paris next week before events in China and Hong Kong next month and the finals in December at a venue to be decided.

Tomorrow's women's singles final is also an all-Chinese affair with top seed Zhang Ning playing fifth seed Lu Lan.

REUTERS PDS RAI2136