Guatemalan Cordon`s dream run goes on

By Dave Thompson

LONDON (Reuters) - Kevin Cordon reached new heights for Guatemala at the world badminton championships on Thursday, booking a quarter-final clash with top seed and tournament favourite Lee Chong Wei.

Spain's Pablo Abian became Cordon's latest victim at the Wembley Arena, the 24-year-old winning a tough encounter 21-19 19-21 21-17.

Cordon, who put out fifth seed Chen Long of China on the first day, now meets Malaysia's Chong Wei, the player who knocked him out in the opening round last year.

"I am very happy -- and very tired, " Cordon told reporters. "It was unbelievably hard, I just tried to play every point like it was the last point."

The Guatemalan, given his first name because his father was a fan of former England soccer captain Kevin Keegan, said: "It was bad luck to get Chong Wei in the first round last year but let's see what happens tomorrow."

Cordon, the first player from his country to reach the last eight, has been with the Spanish squad in Madrid since March and Abian is a training partner.

"Of course Chong Wei is world number one but I can't be thinking before the match that I can't win," added Cordon.

Chong Wei, seeking a first world title, advanced with an impressive 21-10 21-5 success over South Korean ninth seed Park Sung-hwan.

He was joined by triple champion Lin Dan of China, a 21-16 21-13 winner over another Korean, Lee Hyun-il.

Third seed Peter Gade of Denmark battled past Indonesia's Simon Santoso 21-18 14-21 21-14 and his compatriot in the women's event, Tine Baun, came from behind to beat South Korea's Sung Ji-hyun 13-21 21-12 21-10.

Baun, a semi-finalist in 2010, said: "I started slowly and worked my way in. I was just trying to get my own rhythm."

Britain's last hope of success, the mixed doubles pair of Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier, thrilled the crowd by battling back to secure a 17-21 21-15 21-16 victory over 15th seeds Shintaro Ikeda and Reiko Shiota of Japan.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)