On a roll: Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Goh Sze Fei will play either Denmark’s world No. 2 and defending champions Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen or Thai qualifiers Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Kittinupong Kedren for the title today. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani’s recent hot form shows no signs of ending any time soon.
Just three weeks after capturing the biggest title in their careers in the China Open, Sze Fei-Izzuddin smashed their way into the Arctic Open final.
And the world No. 8 did it in style by sending China’s world No. 1 Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang packing with an impressive 19-21, 21-17, 21-18 win at the Energia Arena in Vantaa, Finland yesterday.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin had never beaten Weikeng-Wang Chang before, losing all three of their past meetings in three games.
This time, the independent pair were determined to end their losing streak and refused to give up after losing the first game narrowly.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin fought back brilliantly to win the second game but again found themselves in a tight spot when they trailed 16-18 in the decider.
The pair though have shown maturity this year and stayed composed to score five points in a row to stun the Paris Olympics silver medallists.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin have now made it into their fourth final this year after winning the China and Japan Opens and finishing runners-up in the Asian Championships in April.
They will take on either Denmark’s world No. 2 and defending champions Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen or Thai qualifiers Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Kittinupong Kedren for the title today.
Meanwhile, in the mixed doubles, China Open runners-up Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie’s fine run came to an end when they went down 14-21, 8-21 to China’s world No. 3 Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin.
Soon Huat-Shevon had toppled Zhenbang-Yaxin en-route to reaching the final of the China tourney but the latter exacted revenge this time with a masterful display.
Earlier, in the men’s singles, world No. 4 Lee Zii Jia’s bid to defend his title ended after he lost out 15-21, 21-13, 12-21 to Japan’s world No. 14 Koki Watanabe in the quarter-final.
The defeat extended Zii Jia’s winless run against Watanabe to three matches after the former also lost to the latter in the Swiss Open last year and China Open this year.
Women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah made it into the last four after beating Taiwan’s Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tun 21-8, 21-18.
World No. 7 Pearly-Thinaah have a tougher task next against Japan’s world No. 6 Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi.
