KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 – Only men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong remain Malaysia’s hopes in the Yonex Thailand Open after the quarter-final matches were completed at the Impact Arena in Bangkok on Friday.
That too the Rio Olympics silver medallists were involved in an all-Malaysian clash against Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and it was experience that handed V Shem-Wee Kiong a semi-final berth with a straight games 21-16, 21-19 win in 40 minutes.
The former World No 1 are favorites to book a place in the final when they clash with Indonesian youngsters Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin in the semis. The 19 year-olds showed maturity in their game after coming back from a game down to beat England hopes Marcus Ellis-Chris Langride 12-21, 21-15, 21-15.
Putting that aside it was a disappointing day for Malaysia at Impact Arena on a day when men’s singles hope Lee Zii Jia flopped. The 22-year-old top ranked Malaysian lacked mental strength in his straight game defeat to second-seeded Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei.
The Taiwanese played a patient game to hand Zii Jia a 21-17, 21-15 in 43 minutes. Much was expected from Zii Jia who no match in the second round when India’s K. Srikanth handed a walkover due to calf muscle strain.
Instead it was Tien Chen who looked more aggressive and fitter in his game to earn a semi-final tied against Angus Ng Ka Long. The seventh seed defeated his Hong Kong China compatriot Lee Cheuk Yiu 21-17, 21-12.
The other Malaysian pair in the men’s doubles Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi crashed to sixth seeds Lee Yang-Wang Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei 21-23, 15-21 in 42 minutes.
It was also disappointment in the mixed doubles when independent pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying went down to top seeds and Thai hopes Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai 18-21, 17-21 in a 44-minute match.
In the last tie of the day it was left to Peraly Tan-M. Thinaa to salvage some pride for Malaysia but the young pair could not do much against Indonesian fifth seeds Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu who won 21-15, 21-12.
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