Malaysian men\u2019s doubles stole the show at their home tournament \u2013 the Malaysian Masters badminton championships \u2013 with three pairs storming into the semi-finals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fifth seeds Junaidi Arif-Yap Roy King were the first to book their place in the semi-finals. They took 33-minutes to dismantle surprise quarter-finalists Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith of the USA 21-15, 21-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pair will take on sixth seeded Danes Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard in the semi-finals. The European pair stunned second seeds Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi 21-18, 21-14 in their quarter-final match-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Malaysian pair will relish their chances in the semi-final tomorrow, having beaten the Danish du in all their previous for encounters, including at the All-England first round tie last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malaysia will be assured a place in the final with top seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik taking on teammates Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin in the last four tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sze Fei-Izzuddin defeated Japan\u2019s Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi 21-17, 16-21, 21-16 in their quarter-final clash. As for Aaron-Wooi Yik, they eased into the semi-finals with a clinical 21-15, 21-16 victory over China\u2019s He Keyuan-Lin Xiangyi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ironically, the two Malaysian pairs have not met in an international competition since the Badminton Asia Championships two years ago. Aaron-Wooi Yik hold a 6-2 winning record against their third seeded teammates. But it was Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, who were victorious at their last clash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the Malaysian men were celebrating a grand outing, their top seeded mixed double pair of Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei crashed to a 18-21, 16-21 defeat to China\u2019s Gao Jiaxuan-Wei Yaxin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a remarkable results for the Chinese duo, who are only ranked a lowly 248 compared to the Malaysian\u2019s who are fourth in the world. Jiaxuan-Yaxin are only playing together since early this year, and the match today was only their sixth as a pair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, sixth seed Ratchanok Intanon is on course to capture her third women\u2019s singles title after an impressive 21-16, 21-11 win over Line Christophersen of Denmark in her quarter-final tie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ratchanok will become the second most successful singles player behind local icon Lee Chong Wei, who holds five, if she does win the title this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is currently tied on two with India\u2019s Pusarla V. Sindhu and China\u2019s Wang Zhiyi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She will take on another Danish player, Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt in the semi-finals. The other semi-finals will see top seed Chen Yufei taking on Japan\u2019s Hina Akechi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a revenge of sorts for Akechi, who beat Malaysia\u2019s Letshanaa Karupathevan 19-21, 21-12, 21-10. Letshanaa had beaten third seeded Japanese Tomoka Miyazaki in the second round yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the men\u2019s singles, fourth seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia crashed to a 14-21, 21-13, 21-16 defeat to China\u2019s unheralded Hu Zhean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zhean will take on fellow Chinese Li Shifeng, the fifth seed, in the semi-finals. The other semi-finals will pit Frenchman Christo Popov, the third seed, against Thailand\u2019s unseeded Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Men\u2019s Singles: <\/strong>Li Shifeng (Chn) bt Toma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-18, 15-21, 21-5; Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (Tha) bt Lu Guangzu (Chn) 21-15, 21-18; Hu Zhean (Chn) bt Jonatan Christie (Ina) 14-21, 21-13, 21-16\u00a0\u00a0Christo Popov (Fra) bt Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah (Ina) 23-21, 21-19 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men\u2019s Doubles: <\/strong>Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt He Keyuan-Lin Xiangyi (Chn) 21-15, 21-16; Junaidi Arif-Yap Roy King (Mas) bt Chen Zhiyi-Presley Smith (USA) 21-15, 21-19; Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Veterdaard (Den) bt Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) 21-18, 21-14; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin (Mas) bt Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi (Jpn) 21-17, 16-21, 21-16<\/p>\n\n\n\n Women\u2019s Singles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Chen Yufei (Chn) bt Pitchamon Opatniputh (Tha) 21-19, 21-9; Hina Akechi (Jpn) bt Letshanaa Karupathevan (Mas) 19-21, 21-12, 21-10; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Line Christophersen (Den) 21-16, 21-11; Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt (Den) bt\u00a0 Ashmita Chaliha (Ind) 21-23, 21-18, 21-11<\/p>\n\n\n\n Women\u2019s Doubles: <\/strong>Bao Lijing-Cao Zihan (Chn) bt Chen Yan Fei-Sun Liang Ching (Tpe) 21-14, 18-21, 21-15; Lauren Lam-Allisson Quynh Lee (USA) bt Luo Yi-Wang Tingge (Chn) 20-22, 21-19, 21-17; Sayaka Hirota-Ayako Sakuramoto (Jpn) bt Ornnicha Jpngsathapornparn-Sabrina Sophita Wedler (Tha) 21-11, 21-12; Chen Fan Shutian-Luo Xumin (Chn) bt Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) 24-22, 21-18<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mixed Doubles: <\/strong>Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje (Den) bt Wu Guan Xun-Lee Chia Hsin (Tpe) 21-17, 21-14; Gao Jiaxuan-Wei Yaxin (Chn) bt Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (Mas) 21-18, 21-16; Pakkapon Teeraratsakul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) bt Chan Yin Chak-Ng Tsz Yau (Hkg) 23-21, 21-19; Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui (Chn) bt Presley Smith-Jennie Gai (USA) 23-21, 22-20<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Malaysian men\u2019s doubles stole the show at their home tournament \u2013 the Malaysian Masters badminton championships \u2013 with<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[75],"class_list":["post-13062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","tag-badminton"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t