Strictly business: Leong Jun Hao in action during the National Championships quarter-final match with Lim Chong King at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara yesterday. He won 21-19, 24-22 to set up a last-four clash with Lim Chi Wing . — S.S. KANESAN / The Star
PETALING JAYA: A close friend could derail men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao’s ambition of capturing the National Championships title.
Top seed Jun Hao is set to face a tough match against Lim Chi Wing in the semi-finals today.
Both Jun Hao and Chi Wing won their respective quarter-final matches after hard-fought wins at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara yesterday.
Jun Hao battled past independent player Lim Chong King 21-19, 24-22 while former two-time national champion Chi Wing, who came out of retirement to compete in the tournament, continued his giantkilling run by toppling Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin 22-20, 21-8.
The 28-year-old Chi Wing had stunned another BAM player, Ong Ken Yon 19-21, 21-16, 21-15 in the fourth round a day before.
Jun Hao is wary of the threat posed by his friend.
“Chi Wing is no doubt an experienced player and I know him well as we both came through the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Association (KLBA),” said the 23-year-old Jun Hao.
“He was my senior in KLBA and was like a big brother to me.
“I need to prepare for a really tough match tomorrow (today).
“We are good friends off court but I will have to put aside our friendship during the match as there can only be one winner. I will give everything to be the one to win.”
Meanwhile, Chi Wing is out to continue his fine run.
“The draw was quite tough for me as I have to face so many BAM players and I’m happy to come this far,” said Chi Wing.
“Hopefully I can maintain my performance against Jun Hao.”
Meanwhile, the other last-four match will be an all-BAM affair between Chua Kim Sheng and Shaqeem Eiman Shahyar.
Kim Sheng stunned his senior Lee Shun Yang 21-12, 21-17 while Shaqeem easily beat Melaka’s Soh Ping Chuan 21-9, 21-14.
