Seoul: Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong were in sizzling forms when they dashed past No. 5 seeds Chai Biao/Hong Wei of China 21-14, 21-12 to glide into the quarter-finals of Korea Open on Thursday. However, a stern test awaits them in the quarter-finals, as the Malaysians are going to face fourth seeds Fu Haifeng/Zhang Nan next.
Despite a valiant effort, Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong just weren’t strong enough to topple world champions Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia, losing 19-21, 19-21 in 30 minutes. Ahsan/Setiawan will take on Kim Gi Jung/Kim Sa Rang of Korea in the men’s doubles quarter-finals on Friday.
Lin Dan handed Son Wan Ho of Korea his heartbreak after Lin dispatched Son 17-21, 25-23, 21-17 in 93 minutes in the first round of Japan Open last Wednesday. But Son successfully turned the table to beat Lin Dan 21-10, 21-15 when they met for the second time in two weeks on Thursday. That was Son’s first win over Lin in their ninth head-to-head meetings. The Korean will clash with top seed Chen Long in the quarters.
On the women’s side, Tai Tzu Ying, Wang Yihan, Wang Shixian, Li Xuerui all made the quarter-finals. Tai Tzu Ying dismissed Hsu Ya Ching 21-14, 21-19 to play Sung Ji Hyun on Friday. No. 4 seed Wang Yihan had to go the distance to battle past Busanan Ongbumrungphan of Thailand 8-21, 21-13, 21-13 in the second round to set up a date with No. 7 seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan next. Meanwhile, in an all-Chinese quarter-finals action, No. 2 seed Li Xuerui will take on No. 5 seed Wang Shixian for a place in the semis.
In mixed doubles, third seeds Xu Chen/Ma Jin lost to unseeded Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thoungthongkam of Thailand 23-25, 21-15, 18-21, while No. 8 seeds Riky Widianto/Puspita Richi Dili of Indonesia also bowed out of the tournament after they were sent packing by Shin Baek Cheol/Chae Yoo Jung of Korea 8-21, 12-21.
