PETALING JAYA: Doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the day in the Japan Open by toppling Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto of Indonesia but it’s not enough for them.
The world No. 12 are now eyeing for the scalps of another Indonesian pair Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana when they clash in the semi-finals at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama today.
Yesterday, the Malaysian duo, who are on the brink of turning professionals, were on fire as they combined superbly for 54 minutes to shock top seeds and world No. 6 Fajar-Rian 21-16, 10-21, 21-16 in the quarter-finals.
It was only their second win in 10 meetings against the Indonesians.
Their only other win came at the 2021 Denmark Open.
Leo-Maulana were in their element too when they downed Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura of Japan 21-15, 21-12.
Izzuddin said their game is far from perfect.
“We’re quite happy with our performances but there are still a lot of things that we need to improve for the next match,” said Izzuddin in an interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“But you can expect our best against our semi opponents (Leo-Bagas).”
Both pairs have not met on the international stage but based on the world ranking and recent form, the world No. 10 Leo-Bagas holds the upper hand.
Sze Fei, however, is determined to keep the momentum going.
“For now, we are focusing on our own game. In terms of our communication, we are just getting better.”
They are the only pair left in the men’s doubles after the defeat of Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun. The youngsters lost 15-21, 9-21 to world champions Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae of South Korea.
It’s also over for Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing in the mixed doubles.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei lost 16-21, 18-21 to Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin of China.
Tang Jie said in an interview with BWF: “We must admit they were better than us today. They deserved to win, we can’t complain.”
On whether their opponents had physical advantage having not played at the Olympics, Tang Jie said: “I don’t think so. We prepared well and we didn’t feel we were at a disadvantage physically. It just wasn’t the best performance from us.”
It was also over for Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah as they went down 21-17, 14-21, 10-21 to China’s world Ni. 3 Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning in the quarter-finals.
RESULTS
Men’s singles: Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) bt Wang Tzu-wei (Tpe) 21-13, 19-21, 21-16; Alex Lanier (Fra) bt Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) 21-14, 21-14; Shi Yuqi (Chn) bt Yushi Tanaka (Jpn) 10-21, 21-9; 21-11; Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) bt Kantaphon Wangcharoen (Tha) 21-16, 21-10.
Men’s doubles: Shohibul Fikri-Daniel Marthin (Ina) bt Chen Boyang-Liu Yi (Chn) 21-14, 21-14; Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae (Kor) bt Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (Mas) 21-15, 21-9; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (Mas) bt Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto 21-16, 10-21, 21-16; Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana (Ina) bt Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura (Jpn) 21-15, 21-12.
Women’s singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Tpe) bt Natsuki Nidaira (Jpn) 21-13, 21-14; Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) bt Aya Ohori (Jpn) 23-25, 21-19, 23-21; Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt Han Yue (Chn) 18-21, 21-15, 21-18; Supanida Katethong (Tha) bt Zhang Beiwen (US) 15-21, 21-19, 21-16;
Women’s doubles: Jia Yifan-Li Wenmei (Chn) bt Jeong Na-eun-Kim Hye-jeong (Kor) 21-13, 21-11; Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 17-21, 21-14, 21-10; Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) bt Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida (Jpn) 23-25, 21-19, 21-18; Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) bt Kim So-yeong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor) 21-16, 21-11.
Mixed doubles:Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin (Chn) bt Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (Mas) 21-16, 21-18; Yang Po-hsuan-Hu Ling-fang (Tpe) bt Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino (Jpn) 21-9, 21-17; Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) bt Supak Jomkoh-Supissara Paewsampran (Tha) 21-18, 21-17; Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) bt Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing 18-21, 25-23, 21-9.
