Malaysia swept into the semi-finals in women’s team badminton with an easy 3-0 win over Myanmar in the quarter-finals at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday.
It was a stroll for the Malaysians who face second seeds Indonesia in the semi-finals at the same venue on Wednesday.
Singapore also made the semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Vietnam and will face defending champions for a place in Thursday day’s final.
At the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore the Malaysians beat the Indonesians 3-1 in the semi-finals while Thailand outplayed Singapore 3-0. In the final Thailand defeated Malaysia 3-0 for the gold.
Soniia Cheah gave Malaysia the first point against Myanmar, winning her singles match against Thet Htar Thuzar. The Malaysian took the first game 21-9 but struggled in the second for a 21-19 win.
Malaysia secured their second point through the country’s top doubles pair Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei. The newly crowned New Zealand Open Grand Prix Gold champions needed only 22 minutes for a 21-15, 21-16 win against Nwe Nwe Aung-Win Aye Su.
Former world junior champion Goh Jin Wei stepped on court for Malaysia’s winning point as she shrugged off her ankle injury that threatened to ruin her Sea Games with a 21-6, 21-18 win in only 17 minutes.
RESULTS (Quarter-finals)
Malaysia beat Myanmar
(Malaysia first)
WS1: Soniia Cheah beat Thet Htar Thuzar 21-9, 21-19
WD1: Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei beat Nwe Nwe Aung 21-5, 21-16
WS2: Goh Jin Wei beat Gone Li Yin Khin 21-6, 21-8
Singapore beat Vietnam 3-1
(Singapore first)
WS1: Yeo Jia Min lost to Nguyen Thuy Lin 21-16, 19-21, 19-21
WS2: Grace Chua Hui Zhen beat Le Thu Huyen 12-21, 21-19, 21-14
WS3: Nur Insyirah Khan beat Dinh Thi Phuong Hong 21-19, 21-17
WD1: Ong Ren-He-Crystal Wong Jia Ying beat Nguyen Thi Sen-Pham Nhu Thao 21-17, 23-21
