Guwahati: Fresh off their victory at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow, India last Sunday, Malaysia’s men’s pair Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal have once again advanced to the finals, making it two consecutive weeks of success in India.
Out of the multiple Malaysian teams competing in the semi-finals on Saturday, Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal emerged as the sole Malaysian representatives to reach the final.
In the all-Malaysian semi-finals, Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal defeated Boon Xin Yuan and Goh V Shem with a scoreline of 21-18, 21-17. Their next challenge will be facing the Chinese Taipei pair of Lin Bing-Wei and Su Ching Heng, who are ranked 268th in the world.
Choong Hon Jian also participated in the mixed doubles semi-finals with partner Peggy Ng but unfortunately lost to Denmark’s 6th-seeded pair Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch with a score of 16-21, 21-12, 7-21. Vestergaard and Busch will compete against Singapore’s second-seeded pair Terry Hee Yong Kai and Jessica Tan Wei Han (world ranking 26) in the mixed doubles final.
In men’s singles, Justin Hoh withdrew from the semi-final match against Indonesia’s Alvi Wijaya Chairullah midway through the second game with the score at 12-21, 2-11. Meanwhile, Cheam June Wei faced defeat against Indonesia’s Yohanes Saut Marcellyno with a score of 10-21, 19-21. Chairullah and Marcellyno will go head-to-head in an all-Indonesian men’s singles final on Sunday.
The women’s singles title will see a contest between Denmark’s Line Christophersen and Thailand’s Lalinrat Chaiwan. Christophersen defeated Chinese Taipei’s second seed Hsu Wen Chi 21-15, 12-21, 21-17 in the semi-finals, while Chaiwan overcame Indian player Malvika Bansod with a score of 21-12, 21-14.
In the women’s doubles semi-finals, India’s second-seeded pair Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa secured their spot in the final by defeating the Netherlands’ third-seeded pair Debora Jille and Cheryl Seinen with a score of 21-12, 21-12. They will face Sung Shuo Yun and Yu Chien Hui of Chinese Taipei in the final.