Women and mixed pairs smash into last four in Macau

PETALING JAYA: National women’s doubles shuttlers Vivian HooYap Cheng Wen stormed into the semi-finals of the Macau Open by upsetting higher- ranked Hong Kong pair Ng Tsz Yau-Yuen Sin Ying.

The Malaysians, who are world No. 75, were in their element as they outclassed their world No. 36 opponents 21-11, 21-13 yesterday.

It was also sweet revenge for Vivian and Cheng Wen, who lost to Tsz Yau-Sin Ying in the Hyderabad Open finals in September.

Vivian-Cheng Wen now face a

stern test to enter the final as they take on Japanese fourth seeds Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida, the Taiwan Open champions who clawed back from a game down to defeat Taiwan’s Hsu Ya-ching-Hu Ling-fang 17-21, 21-15, 21-18.

Mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See also continued their brilliant run as they reached the last four with an impressive 21-16, 21-6 win over Indonesian world No. 40 Ronald RonaldAnnisa Saufika.

The youngsters will now have to raise their game if they want to beat Hong Kong’s first seeds Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet in the semi-finals.

The world No. 4 took out seventh seeds Alfian Eko Prasetya- Marsheilla Gischa Islami of Indonesia 21-19, 21-12 in the quarter-finals.

Vivian- Cheng Wen and Pang Ron- Yee See are Malaysia’s remaining challengers in the Macau Open.

Women’s singles player Soniia Cheah fell to Hong Kong’s third seed Cheung Ngan Yi 19-21, 20-22.

And in the men’s doubles, independent shuttlers Arif Abdul LatifNur Azriyn Ayub were no match for former world champions Ko Sung-hyun-Shin Baek-cheol, losing 10-21, 15-21.