PETALING JAYA: Veteran shuttler Goh V Shem scored a breakthrough with South Korean men's doubles partner Choi Sol-gyu when the duo pulled off a shock win over Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.
The 36-year-old V Shem and Sol-gyu, 30, who only combined at the start of the year, had never reached the last eight of a World Tour Super 500 competition before this and started as the underdogs against world No. 18 Roy King-Arif.
The Malaysian, Korean combo though were on song throughout the match and came away with an impressive 21-19, 21-13 win in just 36 minutes at the Sydney Olympic Park yesterday.
World No. 57 V Shem-Sol-gyu will be keen to continue their fine run when they take on another Malaysian pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani today or a place in the last four.
World No. 4 Sze Fei-Izzuddin had to come from behind to beat Taiwan's world No. 22 Liu Kuang-heng-Yang Po-han 21-23, 21-17, 21-19 in a match lasting 59 minutes.
Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are also through to the last eight after sweeping aside Denmark's new pairing Christian Kjaer-Ramus Kjaer 21-11, 21-16.
World No. 5 Wei Chong-Kai Wun will next face Indonesia's rising duo Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin.
World No. 32 Raymond-Nikolaus prevented an all-Malaysian quarter-final after overcoming world No. 34 Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian 18-21, 21-17, 21-15.
In the mixed doubles, reigning world champions and top seeds Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei set-up a last eight clash against Taiwan's fifth seeds Ye Hong-wei-Nicole Chan after brushing past the latter's teammates Liu Kuang-heng-Jheng Yu-chieh 21-16, 21-14.
Malaysia's challenge in the singles though ended after Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin and Wong Ling Ching went down in the men's and women's singles respectively.
Aidil lost out 15-21, 12-21 to Japan's Yushi Tanaka while Ling Ching was beaten 16-21, 11-21 by Canada's Michelle Li.
RESULTS (Malaysians Only)
Second round
Men's singles: Yushi Tanaka (Jpn) bt Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin 21-15, 21-12.
Men's doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Liu Kuang-heng-Yang Po-han (Tpe) 21-23, 21-17, 21-19; Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Christian Kjaer-Ramus Kjaer (Den) 21-11, 21-16; Goh V Shem-Choi Sol-gyu (Mas-Kor) bt Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi 21-19, 21-13; Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin (Ina) bt Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian 18-21, 21-17, 21-15.
Women's singles: Michelle Li (Can) bt Wong Ling Ching 21-16, 21-11.
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Liu Kuang-heng-Jheng Yu-chieh (Tpe) 21-16, 21-14.
