# V Shem-Wee Kiong defeat Kien Keat-Boon Heong to reach last four
# Blow for Denmark in men’s singles
# Lin Dan faces giant killer Xue Song in semis
National No 1 Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong kept Malaysia’s hopes alive in the men’s doubles in the prestigious USD550,000 Yonex All-England Badminton Superseries Premier event in Birmingham, England on Friday.
In an all-Malaysia quarter-final match V Shem-Wee Kiong downed the Malaysian professional pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong in a thriller for a 21-19, 22-20 match in 49 minutes.
They will now face sixth seeds Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa for a place in the Sunday’s final. The Japanese outplayed China’s Fu Haifeng-Zhang Nan 21-19, 21-12
For V Shem-Wee Kiong reaching the semis is a big boost in their quest to win the ticket to Rio Olympics while for the former world No 1 Kien Keat-Boon Heong it is a step backwards.
Meanwhile two time All England champion Lin Dan stayed on course for his third title when he came back from a set down to upset third seed Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark. The fifth seeded Lin Dan won 10-21, 21-9, 21-15 in 67 minutes to earn a semifinal clash against compatriot Xue Song.
Song, who knocked out defending champion and top seed Chen Long in the second round defeated another Dane Viktor Axelsen (6th seed) 21-19, 23-25, 21-11 in 73 minutes.
Fourth seed Kento Momota of Japan was also shown the exit when he lost to China’s Tian Houwei (8th seed). The Chinese won 19-21, 21-13, 21-16.
Selected quarter-final results
Men’s singles
Xue Song (Chn) beat Viktor Axeslsen (Den) 21-19, 23-25, 21-11
Tian Houwei (Chn) beat Kento Momota (Jpn) 19-21, 21-13, 21-16
Lin Dan (Chn) beat Jan O Jorgensen (Den) 10-21, 21-9, 21-15
Men’s doubles
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) beat Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) 21-19, 22-20
Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa (Jpn) beat Fu Haifeng-Zhang Nan (Chn) 2-19, 21-12
