# Doubles pair stun top seeded world No 1 Korean pair to make the semis
# Vivian Hoo-Khe Wei fall to Japan’s world No 1 pair in women’s doubles
# India’s K. Srikanth packs off Denmark’s hope Jorgensen
# Son Wan-ho knocks out Hong Kong’s Ka Long
By Rizal Abdullah
Malaysia delivered a stunner in Riocentro – Pavillion 4 – the venue for the Rio Olympics badminton venue – through the country’s top men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong to march into the semi-finals on Monday.
The Malaysians scored a stunning come-from-behind win over Korea’s world No 1 pair and top seeds Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon-seong 17-21, 21-18, 21-19 in an 88 minute thriller.
V Shem-Wee Kiong were aggressive in their game but cool under pressure that gave them only their second win in eight meetings. And the victory in Rio certainly stands out as Malaysia look for their elusive badminton gold medal.
“We encouraged each other to get our rhythm. But we we did not fear playing the Koreans when the draw was made. It is good feeling to be in the (Olympics) semi-finals but the battle is not over yet.
“Olympics is once in four years affair and if you lose anything can happen for the next Olympics,” said Wee Kiong during a live interview on television.
For a place in the final the Malaysians, unseeded in Rio, will face China’s Chai Biao-Hong Wei. The Chinese beat Russians, reigning All England champions Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov in another three-set thriller to prevail 21-13, 16-21, 21-16 in 54 minutes.
In the other quarter-finals matches China’s fourth seeds Fu Haifeng-Zhang Nan upset third seeds Kim Gi-jung-Kim Sa-rang of Korea also in three sets 11-21, 21-18, 24-22 in a 72 minute match.
They will face Great Britain’s Marcus Ellis-Chris Langridge who upset Japanese hopefuls Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa 21-19, 21-17 in 65 minutes.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s campaign in the women’s doubles ended with the defeat of Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei to world No 1 and top seeds Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi of Japan 21-16, 18-21, 21-9 in the quarter-finals.
In the men’s singles European hope and fifth seed Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark was shown the exit by India’s K. Srikanth. The ninth seeded Srikanth took 44 minutes for his 21-19, 21-19 win.
In another singles match Korea’s Son Wan-ho, seeded eigth, made the quarter-finals with a hard fought 23-21, 21-17, win over Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long in 54 minutes.
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Men’s doubles
Fu Haifeng-Zhang Nan (Chn) beat Kim Gi-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor) 11-21, 21-18, 24-22
Chai Biao-Hong Wei (Chn) beat Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov (rus) 21-13, 16-21, 21-16
Marcus Ellis-Chris Lanngridge (GB) beat Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa (Jpn) 21-19, 21-17
Women’s doubles
Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) beat Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (Mas) 21-16, 18-21, 21-9
Jyung Kyung-eun-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) beat Eefje Muskens-Selena Piek (Ned) 21-13, 20-22, 21-14
Men’s singles (Second Round)
Srikanth (Ind) beat Jan O Jorgensen (Den) 21-19, 21-19
Son Wan-ho (Kor) beat Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 23-21, 21-17
