Muelheim: Malaysia’s World No. 26 Goh Jin Wei was pushed to limit by World No. 12 Zhang Beiwen, before overcoming the valiant American player 21-19, 19-21, 21-16 to reach the semi-finals of the German Open on Friday.
The Malaysian needed 53 minutes to finally break her opponent’s resistance as she claimed her first victory over Zhang in their first career face-off. Goh will take on No. 2 seed Akane Yamaguchi in the semi-finals.
In an all-Malaysian men’s doubles encounter, Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin managed to overcome No. 8 seeds Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik 22-20, 21-18 to set up a last four battle with No. 2 seeds Hiroyuki Endo/Yuta Watanabe of Japan.
Meanwhile, Endo/Watanabe easily overcame another Malaysian men’s pair Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi 23-21, 21-12 to breeze into the semi-finals.
Prominent names in men’s singles, including World No. 1 Kento Momota of Japan and World No. 3 Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei, also secured their places in last 4.
Momota eased through the quarter-finals as he was barely troubled by compatriot and No. 7 seed Kanta Tsuneyama, winning 21-12, 21-9. The World No. 1 men’s singles player will face Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus of Denmark on Saturday.
Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus, on the other hand, needed 68 minutes to defeat Malaysia’s Soong Joo Ven 21-13, 18-21, 21-15.
Chou Tien Chen who finished runner-up at last year’s Chinese Taipei Open when he lost to Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in the final, survived a tentative challenge to exact revenge by beating Lee 21-18, 22-20 in 49 minutes. Chou will fight No. 3 seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan for a final berth.
