Just couldn’t hold on
Peng Soon-Liu Ying go down fighting in roller-coaster match
ODENSE: Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying’s challenge ended in the Danisa Denmark Open after going down fighting in the quarter-finals at the Odense Sports Centre.
The 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medallists lost 14-21, 21-17, 12-21 to South Koreans Seo Seungjae-Chae Yu-jung in a roller-coaster mixed doubles match last night.
The Malaysian pair did not get their act right in the opening game and gave room for the Koreans to win but was impressive in the second game to force the decider.
However, they ran out of gas in the game that mattered most as the Koreans trooped out winners.
The Koreans will play the winner of the match between Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie of Malaysia and Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in the semi-finals.
Liu Ying was disappointed that they blew a chance to reach their second semi-finals in Denmark after a top-four finish in the 2012 edition.
“The Koreans had a better game plan, we tried to break their rhythm but it did not work,” said Liu Ying, who will shift her focus to the French Open in Paris next week.
Liu Ying-Peng Soon take on Robin Tabeling-Cheryl Seinen of France in the first round and may face off against All-England champions Yuta Watanabe- Arisa Higashino of Japan again in the second round.
Meanwhile, India continued to show that they are serious contenders in the men’s singles when K. Srikanth and Sameer Verma marched into the quarter-finals on a day when local hero Viktor Axelsen and Lin Dan of China crashed out.
Defending champion Srikanth showed Odense is indeed his happy hunting ground when he came from behind to beat two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan 18-21, 21-17, 21-16 in the second round.
While Srikanth was overjoyed with his superb win, Lin Dan blamed it on his lack of speed.
“I lost focus in the second game, Srikanth was too fast,” said the 35-year-old Lin Dan.
“I tried to step up in the decider by serving better but I was making many mistakes,” added Lin Dan, who will head to the French Open, hoping to make amends and show that his career is far from over.
The 25-year-old Srikanth faces younger compatriot Sameer, 23, who pulled off an amazing 23-21, 6-21, 22-20 win over Asian Games champion Jonathan Christie of Indonesia.
Sameer had dumped All-England champion Shi Yuqi of China a day earlier.
The biggest surprise yesterday came in an- all Danish battle between 2017 world champion Axelsen and Anders Antonsen.
The 21-year-old turned the tables on the 24-year-old Axelsen 21-10, 12-21, 21-19 to set up a quarter-final against Huang Yuxiang of China.
Reigning champion Kento Momota of Japan blew away Suppanyu Avihingsanon of Thailand 21-14, 22-12 and will take on another Thai, Khosit Phetpradab.