Justin Hoh and Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin stamped their authority by qualifying for the men’s singles final in the Petronas Malaysia International Challenge 2022 at the Arena Badminton Perak in Ipoh today.
The World ranked No. 321 Justin’s spectacular winning streak form continued on Saturday as he scalped two-time champion Lim Chi Wing 17-21, 21-17, 21-19 in the semi-finals.
He meets national teammate and 11th seed Aidil in the final. Aidil closed the chapter on independent player Yeoh Seng Joe’s run following a 21-18, 21-14 victory.
Justin had earlier defeated Jacky Kok, a senior player, in the second round and followed up with a stunning victory over World No 84 and seventh seed Leong Jun Hao in the quarterfinals.
The men’s doubles final is an all-Malaysian affair between Goh Boon Zhe-Goh Sze Fei and Muhammad Haikal-Nur Izzuddin.
Th 18-year-old Boon Zhe and Sze Fei, who are seeded sixth, stunned national teammates Chang Yee Jun-Low Hang Yee 21-18, 19-21, 21-16 to progress to Sunday’s title decider against fifth seeds Muhammad Haikal-Nur Izzuddin. The pair defeated BAM’s Rayner Beh Chun Ming-Tee Kai Wun (BAM) 21-12, 21-14.
Former national player K. Letshanaa was made to work hard to reach the women’s singles final following a 16-21, 21-17, 21-15 energy-sapping encounter against Thailand’s K. Tidapron who came through the qualifying rounds.
The Malaysian is pitted in the final against Yulia Yosephine Susanto of Indonesia. Yulia defeated India’s Ruthvika Shivani Gadde 21-15 in the first set, lost 19-21 in the second and led 17-16 in the decider when Ruthvika threw in the towel due to an injury.
Top seeds Yujia Jin and Crystal Wong Jia Jing of Singapore and Thailand’s J. Ornnicha-P. Atitaya booked their place in the women’s doubles final.
The Singaporeans knocked out BAM’s Ng Qi Xuan-Teoh Le Xuan 21-15, 21-17 while Ornnicha-Atitaya were made to struggle against another BAM pair Cheng Su Yin-Cheng Su Hui 9-21, 21-13, 21-13.
Fifth seeds Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, who won the Bangladesh International Challenge recently progressed to the final for a showdown against national team compatriots Teoh Mei Xing-Ho Pang Ron.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei stopped Thailand’s Imnark Kittipong-J. Ornnicha with a 21-16, 21-14 win in the semifinals and the partnership of Mei Xing and Pang Ron edged Yap Roy King-Valerie Siow (BAM) 21-17, 21-15.
Results (All Semi-finals):
Men’s Singles: Aidil Sholeh (BAM) bt Yeoh Seng Joe 21-18, 21-14; Justin Hoh (BAM) bt Lim Chi Wing 17-21, 21-17, 21-19.
Doubles: Goh Boon Zhe-Goh Sze Fei (BAM) bt Chang Yee Jun-Low Hang Yee (BAM) 21-18, 19-21, 21-16; Muhammad Haikal-Nur Izzuddin (BAM) bt Rayner Beh Chun Ming-Tee Kai Wun (BAM) 21-12, 21-14.
Women Singles: K. Letshanaa (Mas) bt K. Tidapron 16-21, 21-17, 21-15 (Thai); Yulia Yosephine Susanto (Indo) bt Ruthvika Shivani Gadde (Ind) 21-15, 19-21, 17-16 (rtd).
Doubles: J. Ornnicha-P. Atitaya (Thai) bt Cheng Su Yin-Cheng Su Hui (BAM) 9-21, 21-13, 21-13; Yujia Jin-Crystal Wong Jia Jing (Sin) bt Ng Qi Xuan-Teoh Le Xuan 21-15, 21-17.
Mixed Doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (BAM) bt Imnark Kittipong-J. Ornnicha (Thai) 21-16, 21-14; Teoh Mei Xing-Ho Pang Ron (BAM) bt Yap Roy King-Valerie Siow (BAM) 21-17, 21-15.
