Japan’s Sayaka Takahashi falls to China’s Wang Zhiyi.
Aaron-Wooi yik out to spoil world no. 1 pair’s home party
PETALING JAYA: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik set up a repeat clash and a chance to avenge their humiliating defeat to Indonesia’s world No. 1 pair Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo on home soil by earning their first semi-final place of the year at the Indonesian Masters.
The Malaysian No. 1 men’s doubles pair edged former national teammates Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 28-26, 21-19 in a tight quarter-final contest yesterday.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will next face Marcus-Kevin, who brushed aside Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin 21-13, 23-21, for a place in the final today.
It will be an uphill task for AaronWooi Yik as they have yet to beat the Indonesian hotshots in four meetings. They were beaten by the Indonesians in straight games in the second round of the Malaysian Masters last week.
However, the Malaysian pair are playing with good confidence and will relish the chance to spoil the party of the Indonesians in their own backyard.
Aaron-Wooi Yik produced an excellent performance to overcome Denmark’s Mathias Boe-Mads Condrad Petersen 21-15, 21-13 to reach the last eight on Thursday.
“It is not easy playing our former national teammates as they are
familiar with our playing style.
“We have not dropped a game yet and we are playing with better form, so we will give our best tomorrow.
“They will be the favourites but we have nothing to lose,” said Aaron, who has slipped one rung to ninth in the men’s doubles Olympic rankings with Wooi Yik.
Mixed doubles No. 1 pair Chan
Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying bowed out from the quarter-finals after a tame 14-21, 13-21 defeat by world No. 1 Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong of China.
National No. 3 pairing Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing kept alive their hopes of making the top eight cut for the Tokyo Olympics mixed doubles competition when they reached the
last four with a 21-7, 21-18 win over South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Eom Hye-won.
It will be a tough semi-final task ahead as Kian Meng-Pei Jing are up against Siwei-Yaqiong, the reigning mixed doubles world champions.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing are now ranked 16th behind Peng Soon-Liu Ying (seventh) and Goh Soon HuatShevon Lai (10th). Malaysia can be represented by two pairs if both are ranked in the top eight at the end of April.