PETALING JAYA: Doubles shuttlers Choong Hon Jian-Mohd Haikal Nazri continue to show rapid progress as they pull off a surprise to join Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in the Arctic Open semi-finals.
Unseeded Hon Jian-Haikal knocked out third seeds Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark 23-21, 21-15 in the quarter-finals in Vantaa, Finland on Friday.
It was their first meeting against the aggressive Danes but the Malaysians played without showing any nerves in the 39-minute match.
The 2024 Orleans Masters champions will play England's Ben Lane-Sean Vendy next for a place in the final.
Former world champions and top seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik battled their way to the last four with a hard-fought 21-19, 19-21, 21-17 win over Liu Kuang-heng-Yang Po-han of Taiwan.
They will face Thailand's Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh, who played superby to beat Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang of China 19-21, 21-14, 21-19 in the quarter-finals.
