# Malaysians qualify for their first Superseries final
# V Shem-Wee Kiong upset No 2 seeds Boe-Mogensen in semis
# Olympic champion Carolina Marin shown the exit by Japan’s Yamaguchi
By Rizal Abdullah
They have finally broken the jinx to reach their first superseries final and Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong look good to win the title in the USD700,000 Yonex Denmark Open Superseries Premier title in Odense on Sunday.
In the semi-finals on Saturday the Malaysians dumped home favourite and No 2 seeds Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen in three sets 20-22, 21-15, 21-11 in a 57 minute match.
In the final V Shem-Wee Kiong, the No 4 seeds and Olympic silver medallist, will face the unseeded Thai pair of Bodin Isara-Nipitphon Phuangphuapet.
The Thais scored a surprise straight sets 21-11, 21-16 win over No 7 seeds Angga Pratama-Rickey Karanda Suwardi of Indonesia.
Reaching the final makes up for Malaysia’s disappointment in the men’s singles when world No 1 and top seed Lee Chong Wei was surprisingly knocked out in the quarter-finals by Brice Leverdez of France – the Frenchman’s first win over the Malaysian in seven outings.
There was also surprise in the women’s singles when world No 1 and Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain was shown the door by Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the semi-finals. The Japanese, ranked No 10 in the world won 21-15, 19-21, 21-18 in 82 minutes.
The head-to-head count between the two players now stand at 2-2. The 19-year-old Yamaguchi beat the Spaniard in this year’s Singapore Open in April – winning 13-21, 21-18, 21-18.
Twice voted BWF’s Most Promising Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014 will meet Taiwan’s Tai Tzu Ying in the final. The Taiwanese beat Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi 21-13, 20-22, 21-18 in her semi-final match.
Thailand’s Tanongsak Saensombonsuk and South Korean Son Wan-ho will clash for the men’s singles final.
Tanongsak put an end to giant killer Leverdez’s campaign in only 32 minutes with an easy straights 21-9, 21-13 win while Wan-hooutplayed compatriot Lee Hyung-II 21-14, 21-16 to reach the final.
RESULTS (All Semi-finals)
Men’s singles
Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) beat Brice Leverdez (Fra) 21-9, 21-13
Son Wan-ho (Kor) beat Lee Hyun-II (Kor) 21-14, 21-16
Men’s doubles
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) beat Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) 20-22, 21-15, 21-11
Bodin Isara-Nipitphon Phuangphupet (Tha) beat Angga Pratama-Rickey Karanda Suwardi (Ina) 21-11, 21-16
Women’s singles
Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) beat Carolina Marin (Spn) 21-15, 19-21, 21-18
Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) beat Cheung Ngan Yi (Hkg) 21-13, 20-22, 21-18
Women’s doubles
Misaki Matsumoto-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) beat Puttita Supajarikul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-17, 21-11
Jung Kyung-eun-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) beat Nitya Krishinda Maheswari-Greysia Polii (Ina) 21-13, 26-24
Mixed doubles
Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) beat Chris Adcock-Gabriella Adcock (Eng) 21-16, 21-18
Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (Chn) beat Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong (Chn) 21-19, 22-20
