Kuala Lumpur: No. 2 seed and 10-time Malaysia Open champion Lee Chong Wei sealed a semi-final spot at the Malaysia Open after overcoming Denmark player Viktor Axelsen at the Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam on Friday.
Lee, ranked third in the world, displayed confidence and fine form in the 40-minute game with swift attacks and a sturdy defense to defeat Axelsen 21-14, 21-13.
Lee will take on Jan O Jorgensen in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Jan O Jorgensen on the other hand, was delighted to secure his fifth win over Lin Dan in 13 meetings. He beat Lin Dan 21-17, 21-4 in 32-minutes. Lin Dan registered the lowest score of his career in the second set by earning only 4 points before bowing out of the tournament.
“I feel good after beating one of the favorites. He is one of my idols and I grew up watching him, but he will be ever dangerous when the Olympics comes along,” said Jorgensen.
Meanwhile, world number one Chen Long will play unseeded Indonesian Christie Jonatan in the other semi-final. Jonatan Christie defeated England’s Rajiv Ouseph 21-19, 21-19 in the other quarter-final.
In women’s singles, reigning world champion Carolina Marin went down 21-13, 21-15 to China’s 2012 Olympic silver medalist Wang Yihan to exit at the last eight stage.
Wang will play Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon who got the better of India’s P.V Sindhu 21-7, 21-8.
Another Indian women’s shuttler Saina Nehwal however was able to advance to the semi-finals after she defeated Thai player Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in three games, 19-21, 21-14, 21-14.
She will meet Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan who became the killer of Chinese players as she downed Wang Shixian 21-14, 21-14 on Friday, after beating Li Xuerui 14-21, 21-18 and 21-16 on Thursday.
Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying continued their great run of form in the tourney after coming from a one set deficit to outclass Puavaranukroh Dechapol/Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand 21-18, 20-22, 21-17. Chan/Goh will play top seeds Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei of China for a final berth on Saturday.
In the men’s doubles, Chai Biao/Hong Wei defeated South Korean Ko Sung Hyun/Shin Baek Cheol to set up a semi-final clash with Mads Conrad-Petersen/Mads Pieler Kolding of Denmark, while South Korean pair Kim Gi Jung/Kim Sa Rang will square-off against top seeds and compatriots Lee Yong Dae-Yoo Yeon Seong on Saturday.
