#Chong Wei takes first point
# V Shem-Wee Kiong stumble in first doubles
# Iskandar rescues Malaysia with crucial win in second singles
# Kien Keat-Boon Heong clinch the winning point in second doubles
By Rizal Abdullah
Malaysia are through to the Thomas Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Taiwan in the quarter-finals in Kunshan, China on Thursday.
However, it was far from easy for Malaysia as the shaky doubles pairs once again gave some anxious moments before former All-England champions Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong clinched the winning point after living dangerously in the second set.
As it has been the norm skipper Datuk Lee Chong Wei gave Malaysia the first point with a 21-18, 21-18 win over Taiwan No 1 Chou Tien-chen in 48 minutes.
However, Malaysia’s No 1 doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong lost direction against Taiwan’s Lee Sheng-mu-Tsai Chia-hsin after taking the first set 21-16. The Taiwanese took the next two sets 21-19, 21-19 in a 59 minute match.
National champion Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin came on court for his match against Hsu Jen-hao in the second singles and displayed maturity and confidence to tame the Taiwanese 21-8, 21-13 in 44 minutes.
Iskandar’s win tied the head-to-head count at 1-1. He lost to Jen-hao in the Thai Open in his only other encounter with the Taiwanese.
In the second doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong lived dangerously in the second set but survived 21-16, 22-20 in a 40 minute match for an unassailable 3-1 lead.
The played like true champions in the first set but it was touch and go in the second before prevailing 22-20 as the Taiwanese crumbled under pressure and avoided a rubber.
In another quarter-final tie Indonesia were given a tough fight by Hong Kong before winning 3-1. The match also saw the defeat of Indonesia’s top doubles pair Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan who lost 17-21, 19-21 to Or Chin Chung-Tang Chun Man.
In the semi-finals Malaysia will play the winners of the Japan versus Denmark tie while Indonesia will face the winners of China versus South Korea.
THOMAS CUP QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS (May 19)
Malaysia beat Taiwan 3-1
(Malaysia first)
Singles
Datuk Lee Chong Wei beat Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-18
Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin beat Hsu Jen-hao 21-8, 21-13
Doubles
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong lost to Lee Sheng-mu-Tsu Chia-hsin 21-16, 19-21, 19-21
Koo Kien Keat- Tan Boon Heong beat Chen Hung-ling-Wang Chi-lin 21-16, 22-20
Indonesia beat Hong Kong 3-1
(Indonesia first)
Singles
Tommy Sugiarto beat Angus Ng Ka Long 11-21, 21-19, 21-15
Christie Jonatan beat Hu Yun 21-14, 18-21, 21-16
Doubles
Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan lost to Or Chin Chung-Tang Chun Man 17-21, 19-21
Angga Pratama-Ricky Karanda Suwardi beat Law Cheuk Him-Yeung Shing Choi 21-16, 21-14
