SHUTTLER Cheah Liek Hou is out to avoid further hiccups after a loss of concentration nearly cost him a place in the men’s singles SU5 (upper body impairment) semi-finals of the Asian Para Games.
Reigning Paralympics and world champion Liek Hou needed three games to overcome Japan’s Taiyo Imai 21-17, 18-21, 21-16 in the last eight at the Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou yesterday.
“I was leading 11-8 in the second game when I lost focus and ended up making a few unforced errors,” said Liek Hou.
“I became tense and lost the game but I managed to regain my focus and win the third game.
“I have to fully concentrate on my next match to avoid a repeat of what happened today (yesterday).”
Liek Hou will next take on Taiwan’s Fang Jen-yu in the last four.
The Taiwanese prevented an all-Malaysian semi-final by beating Fareez Anuar 21-11, 21-7.
On his match against Jen-yu, Liek Hou said: “The Taiwanese played really well against Fareez and it’s going to be a tough match for me tomorrow (today) against him.
“I need to prepare well both physically and mentally to face him.”
Meanwhile, Liek Hou made it a double joy for himself when he combined with Fareez to make it into the semi-finals in the doubles after beating Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho-Oddie Listyanto 21-15, 21-13.
It was sweet revenge for Liek Hou-Fareez after losing to Suryo-Oddie in the last four of the Asean Para Games in Solo, Indonesia, last year.
The former, though, have a formidable task next against another Indonesian pair and reigning world champions Dheva Anri–musthi-Hafizh Briliansyah.
“Fareez and I lost to Suryo-Oddie in three games in the Asean Games but we managed to beat them this time,” said Liek Hou.
“So, our combination is better than last time.
“Next, we are up against the world champions. They are the favourites but we will try our best to upset them.”
There was also good news for Malaysia when Mohd Amin Burhanuddin reached the semi-finals of the men’s singles SL4 (lower limb impairment) after sweeping aside Taiwan’s Yeh En-chuan 21-6, 21-11.
Amin will next face India’s Sukant Kadam for a place in the final.
In the men’s singles WH1 (wheelchair) event, Mohd Ikhwan Ramli settled for bronze after going down 8-21, 7-21 to China’s Qu Zimo in the last four. (Malaysians unless stated)Men’s singles
SU5
Quarter-finals: Cheah Liek Hou bt Taiyo Imai (Jpn) 21-17, 18-21, 21-16; Fang Jen-yu (Tpe) bt Fareez Anuar 21-11, 21-7.
SL4Quarter-finals: Mohd Amin Burhanuddin bt Yeh En-chuan (Tpe) 21-6, 21-11.
WH1
Semi-finals: Qu Zimo (Chn) bt Mohd Ikhwan Rami 21-8, 21-7.
WH2
Quarter-finals: Chan Ho Yuen (Hkg) bt Noor Azwan Noorlan 21-9, 21-9.
Men’s doubles
SU5
Quarter-finals: Cheah Liek Hou-Fareez Anuar bt Suryo Nugroho-Oddie Listyanto (Ina) 21-15, 21-13; Pu Gui-yu-Fang Jen-yu (Tpe) bt Amirul Yazid Sibi-Faris Azri 21-18, 18-21, 21-18.
WH1-WH2
Quarter-finals: Qu Zimo-Mai Jianpeng (Chn) bt Mohd Ikhwan Rami-Noor Azwan Noorlan 21-7, 21-17.
RESULTS
