Defending women’s champions Japan marched into the semi-finals with an easy 3-0 win over Indonesia in the quarter-finals in the Badminton Asia Manila Team Championships played at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on Friday.Joining Japan in the last four are Malaysia, Thailand, and Korea. The Asian championships also serve as the Asian qualifier for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Aarhus, Denmark in May with all the semi-finalists making the grade.
In other quarter-final matches, Malaysia gunned down Chinese Taipei 3-1 while Thailand strolled past Kazakhstan 3-0. The Koreans swept to a 3-0 victory over Singapore.
The semi-finals on Saturday will be between Japan and Malaysia while the Thais will meet the Koreans.
The Malaysia-Chinese Taipei tie was a thriller after Chinese Taipei made 1-1 by winning the first doubles through Hsu Ya Ching-Hu Ling Fang, defeating their Malaysian pair of Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean 21-14, 21-14.
Malaysia’s top woman shuttler Soniia Cheah toiled for an hour to give her team the lead with a hard-fought 21-14, 17-21, 22-20 win over Pai Yu Po.
Goh Jin Wei turned the tide in Malaysia’s favor in another three-game match with a come from behind 21-23, 21-8, 21-12 win against Chiang Ling Li that last 48 minutes.
Malaysia’s young doubles pair Pearly Tan Koon Le-M. Thinaah was the toast for Malaysia – defeating Cheng Chi Ya-Liu Chiao Yun 18-21, 21-17, 21-18 in a ding-dong 61-minute encounter.
”’Playing Chinese Taipei was a 50-50 match that could have gone either way. However, the younger players got us through. Making the Uber Cup Finals is an achievement but now our focus is on Japan who are the defending champions,” said team manager Wong Choong Hann. – Badminton Asia
RESULTS (Quarter-finals)
WOMEN
Japan 3 Indonesia 0
(Japan first)
WS1: Akane Yamauchi beat Gregoria Mariska 21-9, 21-15
WD1: Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota beat Apriyani Raayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti 21-19, 21-15
WS2: Sayaka Takahasi beat Ruselli Hartawan 21-13, 21-14
Malaysia 3 Chinese Taipei 1
(Malaysia first)
WS1: Soniia Cheah beat Pai Yu Po 21-14, 17-21, 22-20
WD1: Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Men Yean lost to Hsu Ya Ching-Hu Ling Fang 14-21, 14-21
WS2: Goh Jin Wei beat Chiang Ying Li 21-23, 21-8, 21-12
WD2: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 18-21, 21-17, 21-18
Thailand 3 Kazakhstan 0
(Thailand first)
WS1: Busanan Ongbamrunphan beat Kamila Smaulova 21-3, 21-4
WS2: Pornpawee Chochuwong beat Arina Sazonova 21-1, 21-7
WS3: Phittayaporn Chaiwan beat Oxsana Shtelle 21-6, 21-5
Korea 3 Singapore 0
(Korea first)
WS1: An Se Young beat Yeo Jia Min 15-21, 21-13, 21-16
WS2: Sung Ji Hyun beat Jaslyn Ooi 21-15, 21-12
WS3: Kim Ga Eun beat Grace Chua Hui Zhen 21-10, 21-10
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