Suncheon: Malaysia’s World No. 10 mixed doubles pair – Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing were the only Malaysian shuttlers left standing at the 2022 Korea Open as others were knocked out from the quarter-finals on Friday.
The No. 2 seeds needed 39 minutes to beat China’s No. 5 seeds and newly formed mixed doubles pair – Ou Xuanyi/Huang Yaqiong 21-18, 21-17.
Tan/Lai will face No. 6 seeds Rinov Rivaldy/Pitha Haningtyas Mentari of Indonesia in the semi-finals. The latter eliminated Japanese pair Hiroki Midorikawa/Natsu Saito 15-21, 21-18, 21-16 on Friday.
Another Malaysian mixed doubles pair – Goh Liu Ying/Ong Yew Sin fought hard for three sets, but unfortunately, couldn’t finish the job as they went down to Kim Wonho/Jeong Na Eun of Korea 14-21, 23-21, 16-21.
In men’s singles, Malaysia’s World No. 45 Ng Tze Yong was no match for China’s World No. 156 Weng Hong Yang in the quarter-finals.
Weng was playing very aggressively, unleashing one powerful smash after another, pressuring Ng to make a lot of mistakes. Weng eventually beat Ng 21-11, 21-12, and will play Victor Svendsen of Denmark next.
Malaysia’s former two-time world junior champion – Goh Jin Wei who returned to active competition after a 10-month absence, found no answer to the women’s singles World No. 20 Kim Gaeun, going down 15-21, 18-21 in 35 minutes. Kim is scheduled to play Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand in the next round. Chochuwong on the other hand, pulled off an upset to beat her senior – Ratchanok Intanon 18-21, 21-12, 21-13.
Malaysia’s interest in the men’s doubles also fizzled out after World No. 11 Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi couldn’t convert when leading 19-17 in the first game, and 20-19 in the second round to ultimately lost to World No. 9 Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto 19-21, 20-22.
