Goh Jin Wei and Lee Zii Jia marched into the semi-finals in the USD250,000 Gwangju Korea Masters after easily knocking their opponents in quarter-finals on Friday.
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Jin Wei has been on a roll in Gwanju after winning the Youth Olympics women’s singles gold in Buenos Aires, Argentina and followed that up by regaining her world junior title in Markham, Canada.Â
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In the Korea Masters quarter-finals, the 18-year-old Malaysian took only 26 minutes as she packed off Chiang Ying-li of Chinese Taipei 21-9, 21-6. In the semis, on Saturday she will face China’s former top player Li Xuerui who walked away with a 21-14, 21-12 win over Indonesia’s Fitriani Fitriani.
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Zii Jia hailed as Malaysia’s next big name in badminton after Datuk Lee Chong Wei, continued his winning ways in the men’s singles after a 21-14, 21-13 win over Indonesian newcomer Shesar Hiren Rhutsvito in 33 minutes.
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He will face Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin who denied an all-Malaysia semi-final when the Thai ended Soong Joo Ven’s winning run in Gwangju. The Thai beat Joo Ven 21-16, 16-21, 21-15 in 68 minutes.
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Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for sixth seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik. The Malaysians went out in three games 17-21, 21-19, 21-18 in 54 minutes to Koreans Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung-jae.
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Former international Tan Boon Heong continued his excellent run with Korea’s Kim Sa-rang in the men’s doubles. The scratch pair continued their giant-killing feats with scalping another seeded pair to reach the last four.
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Sa-rang-Boon Heong knocked out fifth seeds Berry Angriawan-Hardianto Hardianto 21-16, 21-17 in 33 minutes to reach the last four.
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They had upset top seeds Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto, who had won last week’s Syed Modi International title in Lucknow, 21-13, 18-21, 21-12 in the first round.
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In the semi-finals, Sa-rang-Boon Heong will play No 8 seeds, will meet Po Li-wei-Wang Chi-lin of Chinese Taipei. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH