Malaysia’s scratch pair of Vivian Ho-Ng Hui Lin failed to reach the final in their first international tournament when they fell to 14-21, 14-21 defeat in 39 minutes to South Korea’s top seeds and hot favourites Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan in the women’s doubles in the USD 50,000 Jeonju Victor
South Korea Grand Prix at Jeonju City on Saturday.
Still, it was a commendable effort from the Malaysians to have reached the semi-finals in their first international outing after winning the Perak Open title recently.
The Malaysians found the Korean pair too hot to handle but gave every indication that the newly formed partnership is set to hog the badminton scene if their performance in Jeonju is anything to go by after knocking out several big names in their march to the semi-finals.
The Koreans will play compatriots Chang Ye-na and Yoo Hae-won who defeated another Korean pair Go Ah-ra-Kim So-yeong 21-14, 21-15 in their semi-final encounter.
The men’s singles will also be all-Korean affair when top seed Lee Dong-keung made shortwork of Japan’s seventh seed Kazumasa Sakai 21-10, 21-18 in a 50 minutes match while fifth seed Lee Hyun-il outplayed compatriot Yim Jong-woo 21-13, 21-7 in a 30 minuter encounter..
The Japanese women showed their might in the women’s singles with Sayaka Sato taking on Nozomi Okuhara in Sunday’s final. In the semi-finals Sayaka battled for 72 minutes before winning 19-21, 21-17, 21-17 against Kana Ito and Nozomi registering a 21-13, 21-17 win against Ayume Mine.
RESULTS (ALL SEMI-FINALS)
Men’s Singles
Lee Hyun-il (Kor) beat Yim Jong-woo (Kor) 21-13, 21-17
Lee Dong-keun (Kor) beat Kazumasa Sakai (Jpn) 21-10, 21-18
Men’s Doubles
Ko-Sung-hyun-Shin Baek-cheol (Kor) beat Jun Bong-chan-Kim Dae-eun (Kor) 21-7, 21-15
Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon Seon (Kor) beat Hiroyuki Saeki-Ryota Taohata (Jpn) 21-17, 21-11
Women’s Singles
Sayaka Sato (Jpn) beat Kana Ito (Jpn) 19-21, 21-17, 21-17
Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) beat Ayune Mine (Jpn) 21-13, 21-17
Women’s Doubles
Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) beat Vivian Hoo-Ng Hui Lin (Mas) 21-14, 21-14
Chang Ye-na-Yoo Hao-won (Kor) beat Go Ah-ra-Kim So-yeong (Kor) 21-14, 21-15
Mixed Doubles
Choi Sol-kyu-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) beat Tseng Ming-hao-Lai Chia-wen (Tpe) 21-18, 19-21, 21-18
Shin Baek-cheol-Chang Ye-na (Kor) beat Yoo Yeon-seon-Eom Hye-won (Kor) 22-20, 21-18
