KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — National men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia – Soh Wooi Yik are the sole Malaysian representatives to get into the Japan Open badminton championship quarter-finals, as the rest of the shuttlers were shown the exit.
The reigning world champions Chia – Soh just needed 24 minutes to dispose of world number 14 Muhammad Shohibul Fikri – Bagas Maulana of Indonesia 21 – 12, 21 – 10 in the second round at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.
The world number four will be challenged by home favourites Takuro Hoki – Yugo Kobayashi, who beat Ren Xiang Yu – Tang Qiang of China 21 – 11, 23 – 21, in the battle for semi-finals, tomorrow.
In the men’s singles Ng Tze Yong, who stunned 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore yesterday, suffered a setback against world number 33 Koki Watanabe of Japan.
Watanabe, who stunned compatriot and two-time world champion Kento Momota yesterday, continued his progress by beating the world number 21 Ng, 21 – 17, 21 – 14.
The 24-year-old is set to clash against Lakshya Sen of India, who ousted the hosts’ Kanta Tsuneyama 21 – 14, 21 – 16, in the quarter-finals, tomorrow.
Meanwhile, women’s doubles aces Pearly Tan – M. Thinaah, ranked 11th in the world, suffered another defeat against world number one Chinese duo Chen Qing Chen – Jia Yi Fan, just a week after their Korea Open second-round heartbreak.
This time, the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games champions went down in straight sets of 15 – 21, 13 – 21 to hand the Chinese their fifth win in as many matches.
Mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie – Toh Ee Wei also faced a similar fate, as they were beaten 11 – 21, 13 – 21 by world number one Chinese pair Zheng Si Wei – Huang Ya Qiong.
— Bernama
