Malaysia’s Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing play against China’s Ou Xuanyi and Huang Yaqiong during their mixed doubles quarter-final match at the Korea Open Badminton Championships in Suncheon, April 8, 2022. — AFP pic
KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — National mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing made sure Malaysia did not suffer a total meltdown in the quarter-finals of the Korea Open Badminton Championships 2022 when they stormed into the last four today.
The second-seeded Kian Meng-Pei Jing downed fifth seeds Ou Xuanyi-Huang Yaqiong of China 21-18, 21-17 at the Palma Stadium, Suncheon to set up a semi-final date against sixth seeds Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas Mentari of Indonesia.
The Indonesians had eliminated Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito 15-21, 21-18, 21-16 in their quarter-final clash.
However, it was the end of the road for the other Malaysians who made the quarter-finals in their respective events.
National men’s singles rising star Ng Tze Yong was a surprise casualty when the world number 45 lost 11-21, 12-21 to world number 156 Weng Hongyang of China in 39 minutes.
Malaysia’s other mixed doubles representatives, Ong Yew Sin-Goh Liu Ying, put up a stiffer resistance before being sent packing 14-21, 23-21, 16-21 by South Koreans Kim Won-ho-Jeong Na-eun.
National professional women’s singles ace Goh Jin Wei, featuring in her first tournament since last June, could not get her game going and fell 15-21, 18-21 to South Korea’s Kim Ga-eun.
There was no joy for 2021 World Championships men’s doubles bronze medallists Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi either as the Malaysians went down fighting 19-21, 20-22 to Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto. — Bernama