Unheralded Lim Tze Jian and Wong Tien Ci kept their momentum going when they dumped tournament top seed Kazuki Shibata-Naoki Yamada from Japan to book their place in the final of the Men’s Doubles PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge 2024.The 129th-ranked Malaysians proved that their victory over fifth-seeded Japanese pair Keiichiro Matsui-Katsuki Tamate in the quarterfinals yesterday was no fluke when they confirmed their spot in the final in just over half an hour here at the Perak Badminton Arena in Ipoh.Tze-Jian-Tien Ci walked away in straight 21-13, 21-11 to inch a step closer to winning their first Men’s Doubles crown this year.However, standing in their way in the final tomorrow would be Solomon Jr. Padiz-Julius Villabrille from the Philippines.Padiz-Villabrille showed their mettle in their semifinal clash to edge Japan’s Naoya Kawashima-Kota Ogawa in straight set 23-21, 21-9.Malaysia’s hope for a representation in the final of the Women’s Doubles fell short when Ng Qi Xuan-Yap Rui Chen were denied in the semifinals by Naru Shinoya-Nao Yamakita from Japan.After beating the tournament top seed yesterday – Kokona Ishikawa-Mio Konegawa from Japan – Qi Xuan-Rui Chen seemed a little off-colour today when they fell to an 11-21, 13-21 defeat to Shinoya-Yamakita.Malaysia would also be without representation in the final of the Mixed Doubles when Lau Yi Sheng-Yap Rui Chen succumbed to a 14-21, 8-21 loss to Indonesian pair Amri Syahnawi-Nita Violina Marwah.The two Malaysian hopes in the Men’s Singles were also denied in the final tomorrow when they came undone in their semifinals encounter.Fourteenth-seeded Eogene Ewe fell to a 13-21, 19-21 loss to sixteenth-seeded Minoru Koga from Japan while sixth-seeded Aidil Sholeh stretched fifth-seeded Riku Hatano to a 71-minute duel before conceding 16-21, 22-20, 11-21 loss.
