While youngster Soong Joo Ven is gunning for his second final after making the semi-finals in the Thailand Open Grand Prix Open in Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok the mixed doubles pair of Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie also made the last four.
The 22-year-old Joo Ven, who upset second seed Marc Zwiebler for a place in the quarter-finals, continued his fine run when he stopped Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 21-19, 21-11 to reach the men’s singles final.
In the last four the Malaysian from Selangor will face Indonesian youngster Jonatan Christie. The fourth seeded Jonatan made the semi-finals after a 21-15, 21-19 win over Frenchman Brice Leverdez.
The encouraging performance by Joo Ven, ranked No 94 and whose best so is finishing in the Scotland Open last year, has vowed to break into the top 50 this year. His fine run in Bangkok has put him on the right track.
Soon Huat-Shevon (main pix) face a tough hurdle in the semi-finals on Saturday. The Malaysians will face home favouites and top seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai for a place in the final.
The Thai pair has been a revelation this year and they are ranked No 9 in the world. The Malaysians are ranked No 33.
Soon Huat-Shevon beat China’s Han Chengkai-Chen Lu 21-17, 21-16 in 30 minutes. Dechapol-Sapsiree knocked out Germany’s Mark Lansfuss-Isabel Herttrich 21-15, 21-18.
Meanwhile, in the men’s singles in an-all Thai quarter-final top seed Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk fell by the wayside. He lost to compatriot Pannawit Thongnuam in a three-set thriller 17-21, 21-17 before suffering a meltdown in the rubber which lost tamely 8-21.
India’s Singapore Open winner B. Sai Praneeth stayed on course when he sent Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen crashing out with a 21-16, 21-17 win.
Women’s top seed Ratchanok Intanon is also through to the semifinals together with second Saina Nehwal of India.
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Quarter-final results (Selected)
Men’s singles
Sai Praneeth (Ind) beat Kantaphon Wangcharoen (Tha) 21-16, 21-17
Soong Joo Ven (Mas) beat Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hkg) 21-19, 21-11
Jonatan Christie (Ina) beat Brice Leverdez (Fra) 21-15, 21-19
Pannawit Thongnuam (Tha) beat Tanongsak Saensomboonsul (Tha) 21-17, 17-21, 21-8
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Women’s singles
Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) beat Nitchaon Jindapol (Tha) 21-13, 21-15
Saina Nehwal (Ind) beat Haruko Suzuki (Jpn) 21-15, 20-22, 21-11
Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) beat Pattarasuda Chaiwan (Tha) 21-16, 21-12
Zhang Beiwen (US) beat Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) 21-18, 21-18
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Mixed doubles
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (Mas) beat Han Chengkai-Chen Lu (Chn) 21-17, 21-16
Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) beat Mark Lamsfuss-Isabel Herttrich (Ger) 21-15, 21-18
