Bye bye Thomas Cup

Malaysia were outclassed by the defending champion China, losing out 0-3 in the Thomas Cup semifinal held at the Putra Stadium, Friday. China will face Indonesia in the final which will be held at 2pm on Sunday after Indonesia beat Japan 3-1 in the earlier match.

Malaysia, who were seeded third, now must wait for another two years to end their 18-year drought in winning the coveted trophy, having last won here in 1992.

World number one men's singles, Datuk Lee Chong Wei playing against Beijing Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion, Lin Dan, lost 17-21, 8-21 in 47 minutes.

The last time Chong Wei played Lin Dan was in the semifinal of the China Masters Championship in September last year where the Malaysian lost in three sets, 20-22, 21-15, 7-21. Friday's loss widened the head to head record between Chong Wei and Lin Dan, to 6:14 in favour of the latter.

In the second tie, world number one pair, Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong also failed to justify their ranking, losing out 15-21, 10-21 in 36 minutes to world number eight pair, Cai Yun/Fi Haifeng.

In the third tie, Malaysia's seasoned campaigner, Wong Choong Hann, failed to catch-up with the speed of China's second singles, Chen Jin, bowing out 16-21, 7-21 in 41 minutes. Choong Hann said he gave his best and tried to open-up the game but his opponent had the answer to all his tactics.

In 1992, when the Thomas Cup final was held at the Stadium Negara, Malaysia won the final by beating Indonesia 3-2. Since the Thomas Cup competition was introduced in 1948, Malaysia had won the tournament five times -- in 1949, 1952, 1955, 1967 and 1992.

Malaysia have also reached the final 13 times, the last being in 2002 in Guangzhou, China, where they lost to Indonesia 2-3. In the semi-final then, Malaysia had beaten China 3-1.

While China had won the coveted Cup seven times in 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2008 and twice became the runners-up, in the 1984 and 2000 editions.