Steady march: Soong Joo Ven reached Korean Masters quarter-finals. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Soong Joo Ven upstaged defending champion Jeon Hyeok-jin of South Korea to reach the men's singles quarter-finals in the Korean Masters.
Joo Ven recovered from an opening game disaster to beat the fancied Korean 7-21, 21-14, 21-17 at the Gwangju Women's University Stadium on Thursday.
The professional player faces Kento Momota of Japan in the last eight next.
Joo Ven will be joined by Leong Jun Hao, who had an easier passage to the quarters. He defeated Kalle Koljonen 21-16 in the opening game before his opponent retired at 0-3 in the second.
Jun Hao meets Lei Lanxi of China next.
In the men's doubles, only Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani left standing after they beat Chiu Hsiang-chieh-Yang Ming-tse of Taiwan 21-14, 21-18. Their next opponents are home favourites and reigning world champions Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae.
It was a good day for the mixed doubles as Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie made it to the last eight.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei have to beat Chiu Hsiang-chieh-Lin Xiao-min to reach the semis while the professional pairs Kian Meng-Pei Jing and Soon Huat-Shevon have to overcome China's Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Xaxin and South Korea's Kim Won-ho-Jeong Na-eun in their respective quarter-final matches.
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