MALAYSIA OPEN: WEI CHONG-KAI WUN CRUSH POPOV BROTHERS TO POWER INTO SEMIS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- National men’s doubles pair, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, powered their way to their first-ever Malaysia Open semi-finals, after crushing the Popov brothers of France, Christo and Toma Junior, in the quarter-finals at Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil here today.

The Malaysians took only 31 minutes to dispatch the French duo, winning 21-15, 21-11 to set up a meeting tomorrow against Chinese pair, Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi, who beat the English pair of Ben Lane-Sean Vendy, 21-17, 21-17.

“I’m happy that what we did in training bore great results here today,” Kai Wun told reporters when met, adding that he was especially pleased at how the strategies planned by their coach had paid off so well today.

Wei Chong meanwhile focused on tomorrow’s semifinals, stating that they needed to prepare thoroughly  for their second match against Bo Yang-Liu Ti, whom he described as a formidable pair.

In their solitary previous encounter at the Badminton Asia Championships 2024 in Ningbo, China. the Malaysians beat Bo Yang-Liu Yi, 21-15, 21-12.

Meanwhile, professional men’s doubles pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi were the only Malaysian pair that failed to qualify for the semifinals today after they lost to seventh seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty of India, 26-24, 21-15.

Ee Yi admitted that they had struggled to contain Satwiksairaj-Chirag’s fiery display, particularly after second set interval, while Yew Sin, said they had failed to adapt to their opponents’ change in strategy, causing them to lose the match.

In addition to Wei Chong-Kai Wun, two Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair – Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie – also through to the semi-finals today.

-- BERNAMA