PETALING JAYA: Doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were in sizzling form as they knocked out top Indonesian pair to reach the Japan Open semi-finals.
The duo, who plan to turn professionals, took 54 minutes to upstage Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto 21-16, 10-21, 21-16 in the quarter-finals at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama on Friday (Aug 23).
It was only their second win in 10 meetings against the Indonesians. Their only other win came at the 2021 Denmark Open.
They will face the winners of the match between Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura of Japan and Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana of Indonesia.
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 Badminton World Federation (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.”
QUARTER-FINALS
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.
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;
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.
