Penang, Selangor, Johor and Kuala Lumpur have completed the cast for the semifinals of the Girls’ Under-16 of the 100PLUS National Interstate Team Championships 2023 following the completion of the quarterfinals this morning at the PBA Badminton Hall in Bukit Dumbar, Penang.
Incidentally, three out of the four teams – Penang, Selangor and Johor – were also the semifinalists in 2022.
Penang breezed through Pahang 2-0; Selangor edged Perak 2-1 while Johor overcame Melaka by the same scoreline.
Kuala Lumpur made the cut to the final four by beating Sarawak 2-1.
Penang’s Oo Shan Zi started the day in the Girls’ Singles confidently with an outright 21-10, 21-8 victory over Ng Wen Xi in 20 minutes as Nicole Tan Pei En-Nicole Chau Xuan then wrapped up the win for the host in the Girls’ Doubles by beating N. Mishaliny-Nisa Farina Nordin 21-14, 21-7.
Selangor’s Eng Ler Qi took the first point in the Girls’ Singles by beating Jaclyn Lee Jia Ning 21-10, 21-18 before Perak then put the game back on level to win the Girls’ Doubles through Leong Jing Ee-Cheng Pei En.
Jing Ee-Pei En battled past K. Nilasha-Tan Xin Yu 21-15, 11-21, 21-19 in 56 minutes to put the score at 1-1.
However, Carine Tee Xin Qi made sure of the win for Selangor when she overcame Nur Aina Maisarah Muhamad Hatta 21-16, 21-17 in the Girls’ Singles for their place in the semifinals.
For Johor, they started the morning by taking the Girls’ Singles with Low Zi Yu coasting past Shaneesa Shahidi 10-21, 21-14, 21-15 before Melaka came back with a straight-set victory for Ho Jia Ning-Noraqilah Maisarah over Hasyni Devi Sahathevan-E Yun Lai 21-18, 21-17 in the Girls’ Doubles.
But Zaidi Dania Sofea would give the crucial winning point in the Girls’ Singles for the Southerners when she beat Annabel Gan Tze Zhen 21-13, 21-11 in just 22 minutes.
In the meantime, Kuala Lumpur was made to toil for their passage to the semifinals when Teoh Sue Mei had to battle for over an hour in the Girls’ Singles before she was able to win 21-18, 21-23, 21-14 over Sarawak’s Janice Yao Xuan.
However, the Borneo side then drew level in the Girls’ Doubles through April Lee Tong-Nurin Izzah Qistina Norman when the duo stormed through 21-18, 21-16-21 over Alysha Jeffery-Wong Au Mel to restore parity.
But Kuala Lumpur was just indomitable as Lee Weng Yan then delivered the crucial point and win in the Girls’ Singles by beating Megan Tan Zhi Yi 21-11, 21-13 for the hard-fought victory.
In the semifinals which will be played later this evening, Penang will take on Kuala Lumpur while Johor will play Selangor.
