Reigning champions Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang kept their Asian Championships title defence alive after powering into the semifinals of the Badminton Asia Championships 2025 with a hard-fought win over Indonesia’s Mohamad Shohibul Fikri and Daniel Marthin.
China celebrated a double semifinal presence as rising pair Chen Bo Yang/Liu Yi ar also through into the last four after upsetting Malaysia’s top seeds in a thriller.
In one of the day’s most anticipated matchups, Liang/Wang overcame Indonesia’s Mohamad Shohibul/Marthin 21-19, 21-19 in a high-octane 42-minute encounter. It was sweet revenge for the Chinese duo, who had lost to the Indonesians in their previous meeting.
“They’ve been in great form recently, and we lost to them last time, so this win feels particularly rewarding,” said Liang after the match.
Meanwhile, world No.16 pair Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi pulled off a major upset by defeating top seeds Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin in a dramatic three-game battle, triumphing 21-16, 18-21, 22-20 after 67 minutes of intense rallies. It marked their first win over the Malaysian pair in three meetings.
Malaysia’s hopes now rest on sixth seeds Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, who kept their title quest alive with a dominant 21-16, 21-11 win over long-time rivals Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia. The match lasted just 30 minutes.
Aaron and Soh will face Liang/Wang in a blockbuster semifinal tomorrow, while Chen/Liu will meet Indonesian duo Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana in the other semifinal clash.
“It’s been a while since we played them [Liang/Wang], so we’re looking forward to an exciting match,” said Aaron.
In men’s singles, world No.1 Shi Yu Qi’s quest for a first Asian title came to a crashing halt at the hands of Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew. The eighth seed displayed nerves of steel to stun Shi 21-19, 13-21, 21-16 in a gripping 67-minute quarterfinal encounter.
“I had to be cautious with my shots, especially when I was on the tougher side of the court, which made it hard to play my usual game,” said Shi, reflecting on the loss at the hands of the former world champion.
Loh will meet Thailand’s third seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semifinals.
The Paris Olympic Games silver medallist was taken the distance by Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in an 88-minute marathon, eventually prevailing 21-12, 13-21, 23-21 in a nail-biting decider.
Semifinal Line-Ups – Saturday, 12 April
Men’s Singles
- (4) Li Shi Feng (CHN) vs Lu Guang Zu (CHN)
- (8) Loh Kean Yew (SGP) vs (3) Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA)
Women’s Singles
- Gao Fang Jie (CHN) vs (2) Han Yue (CHN)
- Sim Yu Jin (KOR) vs Chen Yu Fei (CHN)
Men’s Doubles
- Chen Bo Yang/Liu Yi (CHN) vs Leo Rolly Carnando/Bagas Maulana (INA)
- [6] Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik (MAS) vs [2] Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang (CHN)
Women’s Doubles
- (5) Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan (CHN) vs [3] Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida (JPN)
- (1) Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning (CHN) vs Zhang Shu Xian/Zheng Yu (CHN)
Mixed Doubles
- Jafar Hidayatullah/Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu (INA) vs [8] Hiroki Midorikawa/Natsu Saito (JPN)
- [1] Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin (CHN) vs [5] Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet (TPE)
