Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin
They had beaten all in their path, dominating the men’s doubles. It was only at the recent Singapore Open that their 35-match winning streak was brought at an end by eventual champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty of India.
And just as it looked like they were back on another unbeaten trail, Korean world number one Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae were given another rude awakening in the semi-finals of the Indonesian Open badminton championships at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
The defending champions were beaten 18-21, 21-17, 16-21 by Malaysia’s seventh seeded Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin in a match that lasted 56-minutes.
It was the second time that the Malaysians have got the better of Won-ho-Seung-jae in four meetings. They last beat the Koreans at the Indian Open in January last year.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin will be seeking a second title at the Istora Senayan after having won the Indonesian Masters here in January.
They will be battling for their first BWF 1000 title since winning the China Open in 2024 taking on Indonesians Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin, a repeat of the Indonesian Masters final.
The Indonesian duo, upset their higher ranked compatriots Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 21-15, 21-18 in their semi-final tie.
In the women’s singles, Korean world number one An Se-young staged a dramatic comeback against strong Chen Yufei. She overcame a 10-point deficit in the deciding third game to complete an astonishing 21-17, 19-21, 23-21 comeback in a grueling 78-minute semi-final clash.
She was down 7-17 but whittled down the huge deficit to narrow the gap to 12-17 with five consecutive points only to see Yufei fighting hard and inching her way to a 20-16 lead. But, Se-young is not the top ranked player for no reason. She kept her composure an saved four match points to force the a 20-20 deuce and complete a remarkable comeback.
Despite not being at her best due to illness, Se-young will now be aiming for her second consecutive title and retain the Indonesian Open crown.
It will be a repeat of the Singapore Open final, with Se-young down to play Japan’s three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi. The Japanese was in fine form as he disposed of giant-killer Sim Yu-jin 21-14, 21-7. Yu-jin had made it into the last four with some fine results, including a win over world number two Wang Zhiyi of China.
In the men’s singles, home hopeful Jonatan Christie will be taking on Canadian Victor Lai in the final.
Jonatan qualified for his first ever Indonesian Open final with a controlled 16-21, 21-10, 21-12 win over Thai upstart Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul.
“The shuttlecock was very fast today, very different from yesterday, and he was playing very well on the attack, so very fast, very strong in the first game. I think I lost many, many chances, and he got the chance. I tried to come back and by playing more aggressively,” said Jonatan.
“Against Victor Lai, it will be my third time in this tournament to play a young player – first Alwi (Farhan), and then Panitchaphon, and then tomorrow Victor Lai. Many young players in this tournaments. This means men’s singles is growing very well, it’s good for badminton. I will just try hard and go 200 per cent tomorrow,” he added.
Victor, playing in his maiden Indonesian Open, is the first Canadian to make the final here. He overcame Taiwanese veteran Chou Tien Chen 21-19, 19-21, 21-19.
Victor was beaten by the sixth seeded Tien Chen at the US Open last year but showed his potential at top level badminton with a no-holds barred attitude in the 77-minute encounter.
European champions Mathias Christiansen-Alexandre Boje of Denmark are also through to their sixth final this season. The pair looking for their third title of the year defeated Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue of France 18-21, 21-13, 21-15.
They have had a fruitful outing in South East Asia, having also won the Thailand Open and the Singapore Open last week. They were also semi-finalists at the Malaysian Masters.
Christiansen-Boje will play China’s Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi, who edged out compatriots Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui 21-19, 11-21, 21-11 in their semi-finals.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Men’s singles: Victor Lai (Can) bt Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) 21-19, 19-21, 21-19; Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (Tha) 16-21, 21-10, 21-12
Men’s doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin (Mas) bt Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae (Kor) 21-18, 17-21, 21-16; Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin (Ina) bt Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani (Ina) 21-15, 21-18
Women’s singles: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt Sim Yu-jin (Kor) 21-14, 21-7; An Se-young (Kor) bt Chen Yufei (Chn) 21-17, 19-21, 23-21
Women’s doubles: Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto (Jpn) bt Rui Hirokami-Sayaka Hobara (Jpn) 21-12, 21-12; Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Rachel Allessya Rose-Febi Setianingrum (Ina) 21-17, 21-16
Mixed doubles: Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) bt Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui (Chn) 21-19, 11-21, 21-11; Mathias Christiansen-Alexandre Boje (Den) bt Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue (Fra) 18-21, 21-13, 21-15
