KUALA LUMPUR: National women’s doubles shuttlers Amelia Anscelly-Soong Fie Cho will be on a dual mission after marching into the quarter-finals of the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) in Gimcheon, South Korea, on a day most of the other Malaysians fell by the wayside.
On Thursday, Amelia-Fie Cho kept it simple to beat Hsieh Pei-chen-Cheng Wen-hsing of Taiwan 21-14, 21-14 in a 30-minute second round match to set up a last eight clash against India’s former World Championships bronze medallists Ashwini Ponnappa-Jwala Gutta of India.
They aim to avenge their Indian Open GP Gold loss to Ashwini-Jwala and hope that it would help seal their place in the Uber Cup Finals squad.
“Fie Cho and I played calmly against the Taiwanese pair. It will be tougher tomorrow (against the Indians). We lost to them at the Indian Open GP Gold but we hope to get our revenge,” said Amelia.
“Hopefully, a good run here will strengthen our chances of playing in the Uber Cup Finals team.”
They were the only women’s doubles pair left in the ABC after Woon Khe Wei-Vivian Hoo and Lee Meng Yean-Lim Yin Loo crashed out.
Khe Wei-Vivian lost 15-21, 22-24 to fourth seeds Ko A-ra-Yoo Hae-won of South Korea while Meng Yean-Yin Loo went down 15-21, 11-21 to China’s Luo sisters – Ying and Yu.
In men’s doubles, Low Juan Shen-Nelson Heg Wei Keat are through to the semi-finals after their opponents – top seeds and Singapore Open runners-up Tsai Chia-hsin-Lee Sheng-mu of Taiwan – conceded a walkover.
Juan Shen-Wei Keat will take on China’s Shi Longfei-Chen Zhuofu and there is a good chance for them to reach their first men’s doubles final in an Open tournament.
Malaysia’s other men’s doubles pair Teo Ee Yi-Chooi Kah Ming crashed out 15-21, 12-21 to South Koreans Shin Baek-cheol-Yoo Yeon-seong on Thursday.
Malaysia’s challenge in the women’s singles was wiped out with the defeats of Tee Jing Yi and Lim Yin Fun.
In men’s singles, five-time world champion Lin Dan of China continued with his fine form when he reached the quarter-finals with a thumping 21-13, 21-4 win over Pham Cao Cuong of Vietnam in 30 minutes.
The reigning China Masters Grand Prix Gold champion will now take on Hong Kong’s Wei Nan, who did well to dump Lee Dong-keon of South Korea with a 21-8, 21-17 win in 45 minutes.
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