# Teck Zhi tames China’s Shu Yuqi in quarter-finals
# Faces another Chinese Huang Yuxiang in the semis
# Top seed Son Wan-ho sent packing by Yuxiang
By Rizal Abdullah
Soo Teck Zhi gave himself a big boost for next month’s Malaysia Open Superseries Premier when he marched into the men’s singles semi-finals in the USD120,000 SKYCITY New Zealand Open Grand Prix Gold in Auckland on Friday.
The 21-year-old Teck Zhi, the 2013 Asian junior champion, came back from a set down to beat China’s former Youth Olympic gold medallist Shu Yuqi in 60 minute thriller before prevailing with a 11-21, 22-20, 21-14 win.
Teck Zhi, seeded 16th, will face China’s Huang Yuxiang, seeded 13th, who packed off top seed and South Korean hardy man Son Wan-ho in straight sets 21-19, 21-19 in 53 minutes.
In another quarter-final match Vietnam veteran Nguyen Tien Binh (9th seed) knocked out China’s Qiao Bin (seeded 12) 17-21, 21-17, 21-14 in a match which lasted 69 minutes.
Tien Binh’s opponent in the semi-finals on Saturday is Japan’s unseeded Riichi Takeshita who blew away third seed Lee Dong Keun of Korea with a 21-16, 17-21, 21-8 in 72 minutes.
For Teck Zhi his performance in Auckland puts him in the right frame of mind in his bid to make the main draw in the Malaysian Open which will be held at the Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam from April 5-10.
But the Malaysian youngster will have to go through the qualifying rounds with India’s R.M.V. Gurusaidutt as his opponent in the first round. A win over the Indian will see him face either teammate Goh Soon Huat or Indonesia’s rising star Anthony Ginting.
SELECTED RESULTS (Quarter-Finals)
Men’s singles
Soo Teck Zhi (Mas) beat Shu Yuqi (Chn) 11-21, 22-20, 21-14
Riichi Takeshita (Jpn) beat Lee Dong Keun (Kor) 21-16, 17-21, 21-8
Nguyen Tien Binh (Vie) beat Qiao Bin (Chn) 17-21, 21-17, 21-14
Huang Yuxiang (Chn) beat Son Wan-ho (Kor) 21-19, 21-19
