Lim Tze Jian and Wong Tien Ci survived the onslaught from their higher ranked Japanese opponents to make the semifinals of the Men’s Doubles PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge 2024 here in Ipoh
Tze Jian-Tien Ci stayed the course to beat fifth-seeded Keiichiro Matsui-Katsuki Tamate from Japan in a duel that lasted a good 54 minutes.
Matsui-Tamate took the first set 21-12, before Tze Jian-Tien Ci recovered to take the next two sets 21-17, 21-13.
For the semifinals tomorrow, Tze Jian-Tien Ci will have a mountain to climb when they take on the tournament top seed from Japan in Kazuki Shibata-Naoki Yamada.
Shabata-Yamada did not struggle too much when they dumped Thanawin Madee-Wachirawit Sothon from Thailand 21-15, 21-13.
The other semifinal clash will see Japan’s Naoya Kawashima-Kota Ogawa taking on Solomon Jr. Padiz-Julius Villabrille from the Philippines.
Kawashima-Ogawa beat GohBoon Zhe-Wong Vin Sean from Malaysia 16-21, 21-16, 21-21-18 while Padiz-Villabrille overcame Daniel Edgar Marvino-Christopher David Wijaya from Indonesia 21-19, 21-16.
In the meantime, Ng Qi Xuan-Yap Rui Chen stormed into the semifinals of the Women’s Doubles when they romped past top seed Kokona Ishikawa-Mio Konegawa from Japan.
It took Qi Xuan-Rui Chen 43 minutes to book their place in the next round when they chalked up a 21-18, 21-13 victory over the Japanese pair
Qi Xuan-Rui Chen will next take on another Japanese pair in Naru Shinoya-Nao Yamakita after the latter’s 21-11, 21-14 win over Malaysian duo Cheng Su Hui-Lee Xin Jie.
The other semifinals will be an all Japan affair with Maki Uchiyama-Tsukiko Yasaki taking on Hinata Suzuki-An Uesugi.
