KUALA LUMPUR – National mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei advanced to the Korea Masters semifinals after defeating world number 56 ranked Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Lin Xiao Min from Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals today.
The world number 10 ranked Malaysian pair easily cruised past the Chinese Taipei shuttlers 21-19, 21-17 at Gwangju Women’s University Stadium.
Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei will clash with South Korea’s reigning world champions, Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu Jung, at the same venue tomorrow for a spot in the final on Sunday.
In another Malaysian mixed doubles win, Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai had to battle for 61 minutes to topple South Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Jeong Na Eun.
The world number 14 Malaysians had a scare in the first set against the South Koreans, but rallied to win the match 16-21, 22-20, 22-20.
Their next challenge will be against China’s Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin.
Meanwhile, the mixed doubles pair of Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing were unable to emulate their compatriots’ success, losing in the quarterfinal match against China’s Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin.
The match, which lasted for 32 minutes, saw the world number 21 pair fall short to the world number six Chinese pair, 19-21, 9-21 in straight sets.
Meanwhile, national men’s singles players Leong Jun Hao and Soong Joo Ven also faced defeats in their respective quarterfinal games.
Jun Hao lost 14-21, 20-22 to China’s Lei Lan Xi in a match that lasted 53 minutes, while Joo Ven lost 16-21, 11-21 to Japan’s former world champion, Kento Momota, in a match that lasted 43 minutes.
Malaysia’s sole representative in the men’s doubles category, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, faced stiff competition from South Korea’s world number six pairing of Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae.
The world number 24 gave their all but were defeated 18-21, 10-21 in 35 minutes. – November 10, 2023