KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Four Malaysian representatives, including men’s singles shuttlers Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong, have marched into the semi-finals of the Arctic Open 2023 in Vantaa, Finland.
In the quarter-final action in Vantaa Energia Arena yesterday, professional player Lee beat compatriot Leong Jun Hao, who had to retire when trailing 7 - 11 in the rubber game due to injury.
The eight-seeded Lee won the opening game 21 - 16 before Leong forced the decider with a 21 - 19 win in the second game.
The world number 14 Lee will next take on third seed Anders Antonsen of Denmark, who saw off Koki Watanabe from Japan 21 - 9, 22 - 24, 21 - 14 in another last-eight tie.
The unseeded Ng upset the fourth seed from China, Lu Guang Zu, 21 - 11, 21 - 18, and will meet seventh seed Kanta Tsuneyama, who disposed of China’s Lei Lan Xi 21 - 19, 21 - 12.
National men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong - Tee Kai Wun made it to the semi-finals following a 22 - 20, 21 - 18 victory over Indonesia’s Pramudya Kusumawardana - Yeremia Ercih Yoche Yacob Rambitan.
Man - Tee will next play Danish pair Rasmus Kjaer - Frederik Sogaard, who came from behind to prevent an all-Malaysian affair in today’s semi-finals by eliminating professional duo and third seeds Ong Yew Sin - Teo Ee Yi 16 - 21, 21 - 19, 21 - 14.
National mixed doubles pair and fifth seeds Chen Tang Jie - Toh Ee Wei took 42 minutes to stun the second seeds from Thailand, Dechapol Puavaranukroh - Sapsiree Taerattanachai, 21 - 14, 21 - 17.
China's fourth seeds Jiang Zhen Bang - Wei Ya Xin await the Malaysians in the semi-finals after receiving a walkover from Mathias Christiansen - Alexandrta Boje of Denmark, who retired in the rubber game.
Jiang - Wei lost the first game 19 - 21 but won the second 21 - 14 before an injury to Christiansen forced the Danish pair to retire.
— Bernama
[caption id="attachment_330361" align="aligncenter" width="854"]
National badminton athlete and men's singles player Ng Tze Yong in action during his match against China's Lu Guang Zu, in the quarter-final action of the Arctic Open 2023 at the Vantaa Energia Arena in Vantaa, Finland, on October 13, 2023. — Picture via FACEBOOK/BADMINTON ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA - BAM[/caption]
