# Malaysians face top seeds from China in semis
Malaysia’s mixed doubles pairgave their game a shot in the arm by reaching the semi-finals and a memorable debut in the Danisa Denmark Open Superseries in Odense on Friday.
The Malaysians stopped the home pair of Niclas Nohr-Sara Thygesen with a straight games 23-21, 21-12 win in a 41-minute encounter.
Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, who stunned sixth seeds Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping of China 21-14, 16-21, 21-18 in the second round, however, face a daunting task for a place in the final.
They face top seeds Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen of China in the last four but with the confidence sky high after their brilliant run in Odense it is not impossible for the Malaysians to take their game to greater heights . The Chinese favourites defeated South Korea’s Seo Seung-jae-Kim Ha-na 21-12, 21-15 in 29 minutes.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, the fourth seed, ended Saina Nehwal’s run in Odense with a 21-10, 21-13 win over the former world No 1 from India. Yamaguchi will face China’s Chen Yufei in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Chen Yufei the 2016 world junior champion outclassed Saya Sato of Japan 21-6, 21-14 in the quarter-finals.
In another quarter-final match top seed and world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei was given a run for the money by Kim Hyo-min before overcoming the gritty Korean, who was promoted from the qualifying rounds, 20-22, 21-16, 21-9.
Former world No 1 Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand is also through to the last four when she ousted Korean third seed Sung Ji-hyun 21-13, 21-18 in 43 minutes. In the semis the Thai will square up against Tzu Ying.BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS (SELECTED)
MEN’S SINGLES
Lee Hyun Il (Kor) beat Rajiv Ouseph (Eng) 21-13, 21-18
WOMEN’S SINGLES
Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) beat Saina Nehwal (Ind) 21-10, 21-13
Chen Yufei (Chn) beat Sayaka Sato (Jpn) 21-6, 21-14
Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) beat Kim Hyo-min (Kor) 20-22, 21-16, 21-9
Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) beat Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) 21-13, 21-18
MIXED DOUBLES
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (Mas) beat Niclas Nohr-Sara Thygesen (Den) 23-21, 21-12
Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (Chn) beat Seo Seng-jae-Kim Ha-na (Kor) 21-12, 21-15
Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (Ina) beat Zhang Nan-Li Yinhui (Chn) 21-10, 21-16
Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) beat Ronan Labar-Audrey Fontaine (Fra) 15-21, 21-13, 21-11
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