Gold Coast: Malaysian badminton superstar Lee Chong Wei is set to face his first real test in the 2018 Commonwealth Games men’s singles event on Saturday where he will play No. 3 seed HS Prannoy of India who defeated him twice in their last two meetings, both at the 2017 Indonesia and at the 2017 Denmark Open.
The 36-year-old and No. 2 seed Lee defeated Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-13, 21-16 in the quarter-finals on Friday.
“The match between Chong Wei and Prannoy is expected to be fierce and thrilling. Chong Wei is sure going to seek revenge after losing in the hands of Prannoy twice last year,” said Taupik Hussain, Malaysia’s team manager.
In another men’s singles semi-final, World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth will take on Rajiv Ouseph of England.
Rajiv Ouseph saw off Canada’s Jason Ho-shue 21-14, 21-12 in the men’s quarters.
Malaysia’s scratch pair Chan Peng Soon/Goh Soon Huat put up a strong fight in the men’s doubles quarter-finals before losing to Indian pair Satwik Rankireddy/Shetty Chirag Chandrashekhar 14-21, 21-15, 9-21. The men’s doubles defending champion Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong however managed to advance to the semi-final by overcoming Scotland’s Alexander Dunn-Adam Hall 21-9, 21-17.
The world number 14 Goh/Tan will play England pair Marcus Ellis-Chris Langridge for a spot in the final.
“We need to improve our defense. Although we beat the England pair in the team events, we cannot take it easy and we are expecting more intense action from them this time, “said Goh.
In mixed doubles, Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia have progressed to the quarter-finals. Chan/Goh defeated world number 25 mixed doubles pair from India, Pranaav Chopra-N Sikki Reddy 21-17, 21-12 and will face England’s Chris Adcock/Gabrielle Adcock in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, World No. 9 mixed doubles pair, Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai failed to make it to the last four after losing to Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Ashwini Ponnappa of India 19-21, 19-21.
