KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 – It was a painful exit for fifth seeds Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying in the Super 1000 Toyota Thailand Open on a day when it was bittersweet for Malaysian shuttlers in the quarter-finals at the Impact Arena in Bangkok on Friday.
In the men’s doubles all-Malaysian tie professionals Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, runners-up at last week’s Yonex Thailand Open at the same venue, bowed out to compatriots Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in a revenge match.
V Shem-Wee Kiong had beaten Aaron-Wooi Yik in the first round then could not sustain their momentum as the national number one pair dumped the Rio Olympics silver medallists in straight games 21-16, 21-13 within 35 minutes.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will face India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy who defeated another Malaysian pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 21-18, 24-22 in their quarter-final tie.
Women’s doubles saw Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean riding on their experience to beat compatriots Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah for a place in the last four. Mei Kuan-Meng Yean won 22-20, 21-12 against the backup pair.
In the semi-finals, on Saturday the Malaysians will be up against the fourth-seeded Korean pair of Kim So Yeong-Kong Hee Yong – 21-17, 21-13 winners over Thai seventh seeds Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajonjai.
Korea’s Lee So Hee-Shin Seung Chan (No 3 seeds) brought to an end Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen run in the tournament which offers USD1 million in prize money.
The biggest surprise of the day belonged to unheralded Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See who played their hearts out to snatch a come-from-behind 12-21, 21-19, 21-19 win against Indonesian sixth seeds Hafiz Faizal-Gloria Emmanuel Widjaja in a 68-minute thriller.
Liu Ying was a pitiful sight on the court when her nagging back injury acted up again against the Indians who rode on the Malaysian’s misfortune to carve out an 18-21, 24-22, 22-20 after a 75-minute battle.
The Melaka-born Liu Ying was seen clutching her back and it was clear that she was in great pain that restricted her movements on the court.
Still, Liu Ying and Peng Soon battled untill the last but their gallant efforts were not enough for a win.
Liu Ying even had to seek on-court medical treatment but it did little to ease her pain and it made the Indians’ task easier to advance to the last four.
Malaysia’s campaign in the men’s singles also came to an end despite national professional Liew Daren’s gallant bow out against Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen with the fourth-seed running out 21-16, 21-15 winner in 44 minutes.
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