PETALING JAYA: One proved that the fire remains in her while the other continued to show that she is definitely a future star in the making.
Shuttlers Goh Jin Wei (pic) and Wong Ling Ching ensured Malaysia a reason to celebrate in the women’s singles by guaranteeing a Thailand Masters finalist..
Both had to battle hard to come away with victories in their respective last eight matches to set up an all-Malaysian affair in today’s semi-finals.
Former national No. 1 Jin Wei narrowly overcame the country’s current No. 1 and world No. 38 K. Letshanaa 12-21, 21-17, 21-19 in 55 minutes at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok yesterday.
The world No. 68 independent player, who has been struggling for form for the past two years, made it into her first semi-finals in the World Tour since reaching the same stage in the 2023 Hong Kong Open.
World No. 43 Ling Ching set-up a meeting with the 26-year-old Jin Wei after coming out on top over India’s world No. 48 Isharani Baruah 18-21, 21-16, 21-13 in 64 minutes.
The 22-year-old has reached her maiden Super 300 last four and has continued her positive form from last year.
Singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen hailed Letshanaa, Ling Ching and Jin Wei for breathing new life in the struggling women’s singles department and hopes there will be more to come not only from the trio but from their juniors as well.
“I’m extremely impressed with the development of our women’s singles players and they should be proud of themselves,” said Jonassen.
“Of course having three women being able to challenge the world and of course each other is very important to go further. They have also showed the next generation of younger female players that it is possible.”
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
(Malaysians unless stated)
Men’s singles: Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (Tha) bt Prahdiska Bagas (Ina) 21-17, 21-17; Moh Zaki Ubaidillah (Ina) bt Brian Yang (Can) 16-21, 21-18, 21-15; Zhu Xuanchen (Chn) bt Tharun Mannepalli (Ind) 21-11, 21-17; Alwi Farhan (Ina) bt Lee Zii Jia 10-21, 21-15, rtd.
Men’s doubles: Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana (Ina) bt Chia Weijie-Lwi Sheng Hao 21-11, 21-16; Rian Ardianto-Rahmat Hidayat (Ina) bt Lee Fang-chih-Lee Fang-jen (Tpe) 21-12, 21-18; Hu Keyuan-Lin Xiangyi (Chn) bt Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub 21-13, 21-14; Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin (Ina) bt Lin Chia-yen-Lin Yong-sheng (Tpe) 24-22, 21-12.
Women’s singles: Wong Ling Ching bt Isharani Baruah (Ind) 18-21, 21-16, 21-13; Goh Jin Wei bt K. Letshanaa 12-21, 21-17, 21-19.
Women’s doubles: Febriana Dwipuji-Meilysa Trias (Ina) bt Hsu Yin-hui-Lin Jhih-yun (Tpe) 21-13, 22-20; Bao Lijing-Li Yijing (Chn) bt Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tun (Tpe) 21-11, 21-19; Kaho Osawa-Mai Tanabe (Jpn) bt Rachel Allessya-Febi Setianingrum (Ina) 21-18, 21-13; Amallia Cahaya-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti (Ina) bt Hsu Ya-ching-Sung Yu-hsuan (Tpe) 24-22, 21-12.
