# Top seed Chong Wei to face Germany’s Zwiebler in the semi-finals
# Peng Soon-Liu Ying also in the last four
# Vivian Hoo-Khe Wei fall to Danish pair in quarter-finals
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By Rizal Abdullah
Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei were only one point away from a semi-final berth but the devil’s point eluded them as Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl came back from a set down to win 20-22, 23-21, 21-14 in the quarter-finals.
With the win the Danes have now taken their head to head count to 5-0. While the Malaysians rued their opportunity the second seeded Danish pair, winners of the silver medal at the Rio Olympics celebrated and stayed on course for a repeat Olympic final against Japan’s top seeds and world No 1 Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi.
The Danes will face third seeded Luo sisters – Luo Ying and Luo Yu – of China in the semi-finals. The Chinese pair defeated sixth seeds Shizuka Matsuo-Mami Naito of Japan 21-18, 21-10.
Misaki-Ayaka, the world No 1 and top seeds breezed into the last four with a 21-11, 21-18 win over Thailand’s Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai in 35 minutes.
The Olympic champions will face compatriots Shiho Tanaka-Koharu Yonemoto – who won 16-21, 21-15, 21-19 against Puttita Supajirakul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand – for a place in the final.
In the men’s singles it was another stroll for Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei as the top seed and world No 1 carved out a 21-12, 21-12 win over qualifier Shi Yugi in 40 minutes.
Chong Wei, gunning for his sixth Japan Open title will take on Germany’s Marc Zwiebler in the semi-finals on Saturday. The German was taken the distance by India’s K. Srikanth before winning 18-21, 21-14, 21-19.
Olympic bronze medal winner and second seed Viktor Axelsen of Denmark was shown the door by South Korea’s Son Wan-ho. The Korean won 21-18, 21-13 in 46 minutes.
Wan-ho will meet another Dane in the semi-finals – third seed Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark who beat Thailand qualifier Khosit Phetpradap 21-6, 21-16 in only 33 minutes.
In the women’s singles defending champion Nozomi Okuhara suffered a shock 21-11, 23-21 defeat to compatriot Akane Yamaguchi – her first defeat in seven meetings. Akane won 21-11, 23-21 in 45 minutes.
Another favourite Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon was another who failed to get past the quarter-finals. The former world champion fell to China’s Youth Olympic champion He Bingjiao 22-20, 14-21, 24-22 in a tight 71 minute match.
In the other quarter-final matches Sun Yu of China beat Japan’s Sayaka Takahashi 21-14, 21-9 while Aya Ohori fought a three-set battle with compatriot Ayumi Mine before prevailing 16-21, 21-17, 21-19 win in 79 minutes to reach her first Superseries semi-finals.
Second seeded Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia made the last four with an easy 21-18, 21-15 win over China’s Huang Kaixiang-Wang Yilyu and will cross paths with Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen of China. The Chinese pair upset third seeds Matias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark 21-17, 21-18.
Korea’s Kim Gi-jung-Ko Sung-hyun (seeded No 7) were too strong for Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei-Lee Yang and won 21-12, 21-14 while Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda defeated compatriots Hiroyuki Saeki-Ryota Taohata 16-21, 21-15, 21-17 in their quarter-final matches.
Olympic silver medallist Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying kept Malaysia’s flag flying in the mixed doubles with a 21-17, 21-18 win over Korea’s Kim Gi-jung-Shin Seung-chan.
The Malaysians face another Korean hurdle in Ko Sung-hyun-Kim Ha-na in the semifinals.
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QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Men’s singles
Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Shi Yuqi (Chn) 21-12, 21-12
Son Wan-ho (Kor) beat Viktor Axelsen (Den) 21-18, 21-13
Jan O Jorgensen (Den) beat Khosit Phetpradap (Tha) 21-6, 21-16
Marc Zwiebler (Ger) beat K. Srikanth (Ind) 18-21, 21-14, 21-19
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Men’s doubles
Li Junhui-Liu Yucehn (Chn) beat Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) 21-17, 21-18
Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) beat Huang Kaixiang-Wang Yilyu (Chn) 21-18, 21-15
Kim Gi-jung-Ko Sung-hyun (Kor) beat Lee Jhe-huei-Lee Yang (Tpe) 21-12, 21-14Ā
Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda (Jpn) beat Hiroyuki-Ryota Taohata (Jpn) 16-21, 21-15, 21-17
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Women’s singles
Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) beat Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) 21-11, 23-21
Aya Ohori (Jpn) beat Ayumi Mine (Jpn) 16-21, 21-17, 21-19
Sun Yu (Chn) beat Sayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-14, 21-9
He Bingjiao (Chn) beat Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) 22-20, 14-21, 24-22
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Women’s doubles
Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) beat Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (Mas) 20-22, 23-21, 21-14
Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) beat Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai (Tha) 21-11, 21-8Ā
Shiho Tanaka-Koharu Yonemoto (Jpn) beat Puttita Supajirakul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 16-21, 21-15, 21-19
Luo Ying-Luo Yu (Chn) beat Shizuka Matsuo-Mami Naito (Jpn) 21-18, 21-10
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Mixed doubles
Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) beat Kim Gi-jung-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) 21-17, 21-18
Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (Chn) beat Puavaranukroh Dechapol-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-13, 17-21, 23-21
Ko Sung-hyun-Kim Ha-na (Kor) beat Niphitphon Phuangphuapet-Jongkolphan Kititharakul (Tha) 21-12, 21-8
Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong (Chn) beat Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) 21-18, 21-16
