Malaysian professionals Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong outplayed their former national teammates Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 21-16, 21-17 to kickstart their Gwangju Korea Masters on a winning note after a spate of disastrous exits in previous world tour events on Wednesday.
And on Thursday the Rio Olympics silver medal winners marched into the men’s doubles quarter-finals after ousting Koreans Kim Gi Jung-Lee Yong Dae 21-13, 16-21, 21-17 in 53 minutes in a second-round match at the Gwangju Women’s University Stadium.
The next hurdle for the World No 13 is China’s Di Zijian-Wang Chang for a place in the last four. The Chinese pair defeated compatriots Huang Kai Xiang-Liu Cheng 21-14, 12-21, 21-16.
While V Shem-Wee Kiong stayed alive, world No 11 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik continued with their erratic run in world tour events as they crashed out 21-18, 15-21, 15-21 to sixth seeds Lee yang-Wang Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei in 47 minutes.
The defeat was painful the Malaysians as it dashed their hopes of making the season-ending World Tour Finals in Guangzhou, China next month while V Shem -Wee Kiong stayed alive for the lucrative Finals.
Meanwhile, another professional pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying also made the last eight in the mixed doubles together with Goh Soon Huat-Lai Pei Jing.
Fourth seeds and sixth-ranked Peng Soon-Liu Ying, however, had to come through a tough 62-minute battle before prevailing 16-21, 21-14, 21-17 against Japan’s Hiroki Okumura-Chisato Hoshi. They next face Yang Po Hsuan-Hu Ling Fang of Chinese Taipei.
Sixth seeds Soon Huat-Shevon also went the distance before edging out Korea’s Kim Won-ho-Kim Hye Rin 22-20, 20-22, 21-17 in a 62-minute thriller. Another Korean hurdle awaits the 8th ranked Malaysian when they play third seeds Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yujung. RIZAL ABDULLAH
