PETALING JAYA: Can veteran doubles shuttler Goh V Shem roll back the years with another upset in the Australian Open?
The 36-year-old V Shem scored a breakthrough with South Korean men’s doubles partner Choi Sol-gyu when the duo pulled off a shock 21-19, 21-13 win over Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals at the Sydney Olympic Park yesterday.
The world No. 57 will face another Malaysian pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani today for a place in the last four.
“I’m just happy to reach our first World Tour 500 quarter-finals,” said V Shem, who only combined with the 30-year-old Sol-gyu at the start of the year.
“I’ve waited for four years to get a strong partnership, there’s not much time left for me anymore.’’
V Shem made the country proud in 2016 when he teamed up with Tan Wee Kiong to win a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
“I hope I can go back to the top level again because I want to achieve more.
“I just want to prove myself and show that I can still play at the top level,” he said.
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 with Taiwan’s fifth seeds Ye Hong-wei-Nicole Chan.
They had earlier brushed past another Taiwanese pair 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.
