Making huge strides: Men’s doubles shuttlers Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub continue to show improvements.
PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles shuttler Tan Wee Kiong has found a new lease of life with Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub.
Wee Kiong-Azriyn reached their maiden World Tour Super 500 semi-finals after an impressive 21-19, 21-19 win over Taiwan’s two-time Olympic Games champion Wang Chi-lin and his new partner Chiu Hsiang-chieh in the Japan Masters in Kumamoto yesterday.
The victory extended the world No. 40 independent pair’s great run in the tourney after they pulled off a huge upset win over world No. 8 teammates Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani a day earlier.
Wee Kiong, 35 and Azriyn, 31 have been enjoying a good run of form this year and also made it into the last four of the Super 300 Macau Open in September, Super 100 Indonesian Masters and Taiwan Masters.
The former split up with 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics silver medal winning partner Goh V Shem and struggled with mixed doubles specialist Tan Kian Meng but has since revived his career since combining with Azriyn last year.
Wee Kiong was thrilled to reach the last four in Kumamoto and hopes to continue his winning run with Azriyn.
Still going strong: Malaysia mixed doubles shuttlers Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie have soldiered on to reach the semi-finals in the Japan Masters yesterday.
“Today (yesterday), we just focused on our game plan. Luckily, our plan worked well,” said Wee Kiong.
“This is our best run so far and I hope we can continue our performance. We have to keep our focus and enjoy the next match.”
Wee Kiong-Azriyn face a tough hurdle next against home favourites and 2021 world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi.
Meanwhile, it was also joy for mixed doubles duo Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie after they swept aside homesters Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito 21-16, 21-13 to book their spot in the last four.
The world No. 10 will next take on Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran for a place in the final.
The Thai pair prevented an all-Malaysian semi-final after beating Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin 21-17, 21-16.
Soon Huat-Shevon have a slight advantage over Dechapol-Supissara after coming out on top over the latter in their only meeting so far in the second round of the Arctic Open last month.
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
(Malaysians unless stated)
Men’s singles: Leong Jun Hao bt Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) 21-17, 9-21, 21-16; Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt Lee Zii Jia 12-21, 21-18, 21-18; Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Christo Popov (Fra) 21-18, 16-21, 21-18; Li Shifeng (Chn) bt Chi Yiu-jen (Tpe) 19-21, 21-11, 21-7.
Men’s doubles: Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub bt Wang Chi-lin-Chiu Hsiang-chieh (Tpe) 21-19, 21-19; Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (Ina) bt Shohibul Fikri-Daniel Marthin (Ina) 17-21, 21-16, 21-18; Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana (Ina) bt Chen Boyang-Liu Yi (Chn) 21-15, 21-15; Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) bt Seo Seung-jae-Jin Yong (Kor) 21-18, 29-27.
Women’s singles: Gregoria Mariska (Ina) bt Mia Blichfeldt (Den) 21-16, 21-18; Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt Aya Ohori (Jpn) 18-21, 21-15, 21-13; Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) bt Supanida Katethong (Tha) 21-19, 21-11; Sim Yu-jin (Kor) bt Michelle Li (Can) 16-21, 21-9, 21-15.
Women’s doubles: Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida (Jpn) bt Kim Hye-jeong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor) 21-13, 21-15; Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto (Jpn) bt Leo Yeon-woo-Lee Yu-lim (Kor) 21-13, 18-21, 21-17; Li Yijing-Luo Xumin (Chn) bt Hu Ling-fang-Jheng Yu-chieh (Tpe) 22-20, 21-19; Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian (Chn) 17-21, 21-11, 21-16.
Mixed doubles: Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie bt Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito (Jpn) 21-16, 21-13; Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran (Tha) 21-17, 21-16; Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui (Chn) bt Presley Smith-Jennie Gai (US) 21-11, 21-14; Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue (Ina) bt Ruttanapak Oupthong-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat (Tha) 21-14, 22-20.
