Semis finish in Germany renews Soon Huat-Shevon’s confidence
PETALING JAYA:
National mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie will head into this week’s All-England with renewed confidence.
The world No. 12 failed to defend their German Open title when they lost 17-21, 12-21 to South Korea’s Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yu-jung in the semi-finals in Mulheim on Saturday but they can surely walk tall.
Their last-four finish in Germany was their best result on the World Tour in seven months.
They have failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals since capturing the Singapore Open in July last year.
It was also the end of the road for Goh Jin Wei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani-Goh Sze Fei in the women’s singles and men’s doubles respectively after losing to Japanese opponents.
Jin Wei lost 14-21, 11-21 to world No. 5 Akane Yamaguchi while Izzuddin-Sze Fei went down 10-21, 12-21 to second seeds Hiroyuki Endo-Yuta Watanabe.
Meanwhile, the Japanese team continued their domination by assuring themselves two
titles in the men’s singles and doubles events.
World No. 1 Kento Momota will bid for his first win of the season against compatriot Kenta Nishimoto while Endo-Watanabe face Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda in a battle of the top two seeds.
Japan could have assured themselves of two more titles in the women’s singles and doubles but Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon and China’s Du Yue-Li Yinhui rose to the occasion to prevent all-Japanese finals in the two events.