JIN WEI SETS UP SEMIS DATE WITH EX-OLYMPIC CHAMPION
Jin Wei sets up semis date with China’s former Olympic champion
PETALING JAYA: National women’s singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei continued with her high-flying form as she checked into the semi-finals of the Korean Masters in Gwangju.
The 18-year-old, who won the Youth Olympic gold medal in October and World Junior Championships last month, was still sharp as she easily dismissed Taiwan’s Chiang Ying-li 21-9, 21-6 in the quarter-finals yesterday.
It was a closely contested match as both players traded point for point, but Jin Wei quickly found her groove to outclass the much more senior Ying-li, 26.
The second game saw more of the same with Jin Wei dominating from start to finish.
She faces London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Li Xuerui of China in the last four.
Xuerui was also in her element as she pulled off a convincing 21-14, 21-12 victory over Indonesia’s Fitriani Fitriani in another quarter-final match.
Jin Wei hopes to gain some invaluable experience from playing against the former world No. 1 as the two have never met.
“I’m really looking forward to playing Li Xuerui tomorrow (today), because she’s a former Olympic champion, and I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from playing her,” said Jin Wei.
And joining her in the semi-finals is men’s singles player and Taiwan Open champion Lee Zii Jia.
The 20-year-old, who is making a return after nearly two months out of action due to a niggling back injury, showed he has not lost his touches – putting on a solid display to defeat Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren
Rhustavito 21-14, 21-13 in the quarter-finals.
His next challenger is Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin, who prevented an all-Malaysian affair by working hard to beat Soong Joo Ven 21-16, 16-21, 21-15.
Meanwhile, the challenge of Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik ended when they were tamed by home favourites Choi Sol-gyu-Seo Sungjae 17-21, 21-19, 21-18 yesterday.
Former international Tan Boon Heong kept the Malaysian flag fly-
ing when he continued his fine run with Korean Kim Sa-rang by stunning Indonesians Berry AngriawanHardianto Hardianto 21-16, 21-17 to set up a meeting with Taiwan’s Po Li-wei-Wang Chi-lin in the semi-finals.