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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sa-rang-Boon Heong knocked out fifth seeds Berry Angriawan-Hardianto Hardianto 21-16, 21-17 in 33 minutes to reach the last four.
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.
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
- Advertisement - 
