# Second seeds Kian Meng-Pei Jing to meet Soon Huat-Shevon Lai for title
# Four tournaments and four finals for Soon Huat-Shevon
# Rookies Sze Fei-Izzuddin reach their first GP Gold final
By Rizal Abdullah
Malaysia’s amazing run in the mixed doubles and men’s doubles in the Victor Far East Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold in Sibu continued after the semi-final matches were played on Saturday.
In a rare achievement it will be an all-Malaysia final in the mixed doubles with No 2 seeds Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing facing unseeded Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie for the title.
For Soon Huat-Shevon Lai it is their fourth final in as many tournaments but ended up playing bridesmaid each time. They hope to end that jinx in Sibu against their better known compatriots who won three titles – the Vietnam GP, Thailand GP Gold plus the National Circuit GP Finals.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing were taken the full distance by Hong Kong’s Tam Chun Hei-Ng Tsz Yau before prevailing 19-21, 21-13, 21-12 in the 58-minute semi-final match played at the Sibu Indoor Stadium.
It is a dream final after Soon Huat-Shevon Lai pulled off a stunning upset over sixth seeds Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and his new partner Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja earlier in the morning with a straight sets 21-17, 21-18 win in 41 minutes. Tontowi won the Rio Olympics mixed doubles gold with Liliyana Natsir.
And the young men’s doubles pair of 20-year-olds Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were the bright spark in the last event of the day and they did not disappoint the home fans.
The young Malaysians, who have shown splendid form in Sibu, once again kept their cool when facing their far more experienced opponents from Indonesia – Hendra Aprida Gunawan-Markis Kido.
Undeterred by the Indonesians reputation the Malaysian came off a 21-15, 21-13 winners in 32 minutes to reach their first GP Gold final.
For the title Sze Fei-Izzuddin will face another Indonesian pair Berry Angriawan-Hardianto Hardianto. The Indonesian youngsters upstaged the experienced Japanese pair of Hiroyuki Endo-Yuta Watanabe 22-20, 21-19 in 47 minutes.
Malaysia failed to make it three finals when the women’s doubles Lim Yin Loo-Yap Cheng Wen, seeded No 4, failed to get past Hong Kong’s Poon Lok Yan-Tze Ying Suet after a titanic 79 minute battle. The Malaysians lost 20-22, 22-20, 15-21.
India’s Saina Nehwal, the top seed, made the women’s singles final but it was the end of the road for second seed Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong. Nehwal strolled past fifth seed Yip Pui Yin of Hong Kong 21-13, 21-10 while Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong upset Ngan Yi 21-19, 20-22, 21-18 in 76 minutes.
The men’s singles final will be between top seed Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong and Korean veteran Lee Hyun Il, the No 5 seed after they brushed aside their Indonesian opponents in the semi-finals.
Ka Long defeated Anthony Ginting 21-18, 21-15 while Hyun-Il tamed Tommy Sugiarto 21-17, 21-16.
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RESULTS (All Semi-finals)
Men’s singles
Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) beat Anthony Ginting (Ina) 21-18, 21-15
Lee Hyun-Il (Kor) beat Tommy Sugiarto (Ina) 21-17, 21-16
Men’s doubles
Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin (Mas) beat Hendra Aprida Gunawan-Markis Kido (Ina) 21-15, 21-13
Berry Angriawan-Hardianto Hardianto (Ina) beat Hiroyuki Endo-Yuta Watanabe (Jpn) 22-20, 21-19
Women’s singles
Saina Nehwal (Ind) beat Yip Pui Yin (Hkg) 21-13, 21-10
Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) beat Cheung Ngan Yi (Hkg) 21-19, 20-22, 21-18
Women’s doubles
Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai (Tha) beat Hsu Ya Ching-Wu Ti Jung (Tpe) 22-24, 21-17, 21-11Ā
Poon Lok Yan-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) beat Lim Yin Loo-Yap Cheng Wen (Mas) 22-20, 20-22, 21-15
Mixed doubles
Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (Mas) beat Tam Chun Hei-Ng Tsz Yau (Hkg) 19-21, 21-13, 21-12
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (Mas) beat Tontowi Ahmad-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (Ina) 21-17, 21-18
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