# Jun Hao makes the men’s singles semi-finals
# Qi Xuan serves a surprise in women’s singles to make the last four
Malaysia’s march into the men’s and women’s semi-finals in the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Jakarta left coach Kwan Yoke Meng “super happy” on Friday night.
“Last year in Bangkok we won one bronze but now in Jakarta we are assured of three bronze. The colour of the medal could be different after the semi-finals on Saturday,” said Yoke Meng.
The sixth seeded Leong Jun Hao defeated China’s Gu Jinfeng with a come from behind 15-21, 21-16, 21-13 win in 65 minutes to earn a semi-final clash against Thailand’s hope and third seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn. The Thai won 21-13, 21-16 against another Chinese Li Shifeng 21-13, 21-16
Asean Schools runners-up Eoon Qi Xuan checked into the women’s singles last four after a remarkable come from behind 14-21, 21-15, 21-13 win over China’s Wang Zhiyi after 70 minutes.
In the semis the Malaysian will meet fourth seeded Han Yue of China. The Chinese was too good for India’s fifth seeded Aakarshai Kashyap with a 21-8, 21-16 win.
In the men’s doubles Malaysia’s scratch pair of Chai Wei Jie-Ng Tze Yong outplayed India’s top seeds Krishna Prasad Garaga-Dhruv Kapila with a stunning 23-21, 21-11 win.
The Malaysians are up against China’s Di Zijian-Chang Wang – who stretched to the limit before they overcame Thailand’s Wachirawit Sothon-Nattaphat Trinkajee before prevailing 21-15, 19-21, 21-16.
In the women’s doubles Indonesia are in line for an all-Indonesia final after second seeds Agatha Imanuela-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti and fourth seeds Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto-Ribka Sugiarto reached the semis.
Fifth seeds seeds Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti are also in place for the final when they play Korea’s Wang Chan-Kim Min-ji in Saturday’s semi-finals.
In the women’s doubles Agatha-Siti Fadia will be up against third seeds Baek Ha-na-Lee Yu-rim while Jauza-Ribka will take on China’s unseeded Liu Xuanxuan-Xia Yuting.
Meanwhile, India’s top seeds in the men’s doubles were ousted in the quarter-finals. Krishna Prasad Garaga-Dhruv Kapila could not take the defeat – more so when they were beaten by a scratch pair from Malaysia Chia Wei Jie-Ng Tze Yong in straight sets 21-23, 11-21 in 35 minutes.
The defeat came in the wake of top seed Lakshya Sen’s defeat to unseeded Lin Chun-Yi of China in the men’s singles fourth round match late on Thursday night. The Chinese won 13-21, 25-23, 22-20 in close match.
The win in the doubles left Malaysia coach Kwan Yoke Meng smiling ear to ear – summing up the victory “I am super happy” as we won only one bronze in Bangkok last year.
“This time we are in the semi-finals in three events…which means we have at least three bronze medals to show. But we will not stop at this and look forward for a better showing in the semi-finals,” said Yoke Meng.
But there were also tears for Malaysia which left doubles player Pearly Tan Koong Le who lost two quarter-final matches – in the women’s and mixed doubles.
In the women’s doubles Pearly and Toh Ee Wei were beaten by Korea’s Baek Ha-na-Lee Yu-rim 14-21, 12-21 in 37 minutes. Earlier she and Chang Yee Jun lost in the mixed doubles – losing to Kang Min-hyuk-Ha-na – also in straight sets 18-21, 14-21 in another 37 minute encounter.
Singapore’s hopes of winning a medal in the women’s singles soared with second seed Yeo Jia Ming.
Jia Ming battled for 62 minutes before carving out a 21-18, 15-21, 22-20 win over Indonesia’s Choirunnisa Choirunnisa – paving the way for semi-final clash against third seed Pattarasuda Chaiwan of Thailand.The Thai hope won 21-16, 21-19 against China’s Li Wenmei in 45 minutes.
RESULTS (QUARTER-FINALS)
Men’s singles
Kunlavut Viditsarn (Tha) beat Li Shifeng (Chn) 21-13,21-16
Chen Chi Ting (Tpe) beat Ikhsan Leonardo Imanuel Rumbay (Ina) 15-21, 21-9, 20-8 (Rtd)
Bai Yupeng (Chn) beat Lin Chun-Yi (Tpe) 21-18, 18-21, 21-15
Leong Jun Hao (Mas) beat Gu Junfeng (Chn) 15-21, 21-16, 21-13
Men’s doubles
Shin Tae-yang- Wang Chan (Kor) 21-18, 21-18
Chia Wei Jie-Ng Tze Yong (Mas) beat Krishna Prasad Garaga-Dhruv Kapila (Ind) 23-21, 21-11
Lee Sang-min-Na Sung-seung (Kor) beat Rizki Adam-Adnan Maulana (Ina) 21-23, 21-18, 21-19
Di Zijian-Chang Wang (Chn) beat Wachirat Sothon-Nattaphat Trinkajee (Tha) 21-15, 19-21, 21-16
Women’s singles
Yeo Jia Min (Sgp) beat Choirunnisa Choirunisa (Ina) 21-18, 15-21, 22-20
Pattarasuda Chaiwan (Tha) beat Li Wenmei (Chn) 21-16, 21-19
Eoon Qi Xuan (Mas) beat Wang Zhiyi (Chn) 14-21, 21-15, 21-13
Han Yue (Chn) beat Aakarshi Kashyap (Ind) 21-8, 21-16
Women’s doubles
Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto-Ribka Sugiarto (Ina) beat Yan Chenxue-Zhou Meng (Chn) 21-12, 21-15
Liu Xuanxuan-Xia Yuting (Chn) beat Serena Kani-Pitha Haningtyas Mentari (Ina) 21-13, 21-17
Agatha Imanuela-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti (Ina) beat Cheng Yen Ting-Tseng Yu-Chi (Tpe) 21-11, 21-12
Baek Ha-na-Lee Yu-rim (Kor) beat Pearly Tan Koong Le-Toh Ee Wei (Mas)
Mixed doubles
Wang Chan-Kim Min-ji (Kor) beat Fan Qiuyue-Liu Xuanxuan (Chn) 14-21, 22-20, 21-15
Na Seung-sung-Seong Ah-yeong (Kor) beat Dhruv Kapila-Mithula U.K. (Ind) 21-8, 21-11
Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti (Ina) beat Man Wei Chong-Tan Seuh Jeou (Mas) 21-18, 19-21, 21-17
Kang Min-hyuk-Baek Ha-na (Kor) beat Chang Yee Jun-Pearly Tan Koong Le (Mas) 21-18, 21-14
