PETALING JAYA: National women’s singles shuttler Siti Zulaikha Azmi (pic) is one step closer to capturing her first senior international title, but she will have to get past China’s Luo Shengxuan in the Malaysian International Series final today.
Second seed Zulaikha marched into the final after taking down Guo Xinyi of China 21-15, 21-16 in the semi-finals in Johor yesterday.
The 18-year-old will be going into the final fixture today with a slight edge over Shengxuan after winning their only previous encounter at the Dutch Junior International earlier this year.
The win yesterday is sure to have given the young shuttler a boost in confidence, as she finds her form after returning to the court last month following a heel injury.
Zulaikha is the only Malaysian singles representative in the final today after men’s singles shuttler and top seed Ong Zhen Yi was stunned by Indonesia’s Richie Duta Richardo 21-18, 22-20 in the semi-finals yesterday.
The Indonesian player will now meet qualifier Liu Haoda of China in the final after Haoda won 21-12, 22-20 against compatriot Liu Hai Chao in the final four.
In the women’s doubles, second seed Malaysians Cheng Su Hui-Lee Xin Jie booked their spot in the final after winning 21-15, 21-14 against China’s Hu Shenhan-Luo Yi.
Su Hui-Xin Jie will now meet Lin Fangling-Zhou Xinru of China in the final after the Chinese pair sent top seed Malaysians Lee Zhi Qing-Tio Sue Xin packing as they won 21-14, 21-16 in the semi-finals.
Both national men’s doubles pairs also ended their run as top seed Mohd Faiq Masawi-Lok Hong Quan and Toh E Hern-Wee Yee Tern lost in the semi-finals yesterday.
Faiq-Hong Quan were handed an upset by Indonesia’s Emanuel Randhy-Reza Dwicahya as they lost 18-21, 19-21 while E Hern-Yee Tern lost 15-21, 17-21 to China’s An Junchen-Chen Sihang.
Mixed doubles duo Wee Yee Tern-Clarissa San also ended their campaign in the last four after losing 18-21, 14-21 to China’s Shang Yichen-Lin Fangling yesterday.
