CHONG WEI SETS UP SEMIS CLASH WITH MOMOTA IN INDONESIA
Sparkling show as Peng Soon-Liu Ying upset world No. 1 pair
PETALING JAYA: Top Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei inched closer to his seventh Indonesia Open men’s singles crown after booking his spot in the semi-finals in Jakarta.
Chong Wei brushed aside Thai youngster Kan tap hon Wang charo en in a 43-minute quarter-final contest at the Istora Senayan Stadium yesterday.
Clearly a crowd favourite, the world No. 4 ranked Chong Wei caught up from 13-16 down in the second game to remain on course for back-to-back title following his Malaysian Open triumph in Bukit Jalil last Sunday.
Chong Wei will take on Japan’s Kento Momota for the second time in as many weeks.
The Japanese challenger beat Indonesian hope Tommy Sugiarto 21- 11, 21- 15 in an earlier last
eight clash.
Chong Wei ended Momota’s 21-match winning streak by lifting his 12th Malaysian Open crown a week ago and will be looking to score another timely psychological boost ahead of the World Badminton Championships in Nanjing, China next month.
Chong Wei holds a 2-1 record against Momota, who is now ranked eighth in the world.
Chong Wei has tipped Momota and Denmark’s reigning world champion Viktor Axelsen to rule the world of badminton in the near future.
Chong Wei previously won the Indonesia Open in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016.
“I have to be smarter on court now and conserve my energy, especially playing against much younger players.
“I am taking things one step at a time,” said Chong Wei, who was eliminated in the second round by H.S. Prannoy of India in the same tournament last year.
Top seed Axelsen will play reigning All-England champion Shi Yuqi in the other semi-final today.
In the mixed doubles, Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying were on fire as they packed off world No. 1 pair Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping of China the exit with a fine 21-19, 21-14 win in the quarter-finals last night.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying, who will be making their first appearance in the Indonesian Open semi-finals, will take on fourth seeds Zheng SiweiHuang Yaqiong China next.