TREMENDOUS FORM: Chong Wei hits a return against Gasolene of Denmark during men’s second round match at the Japan Open badminton championships in Tokyo. (Inset) Chong Wei Feng. — AFP photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Two Chong Wei(s) will face off in an All-Malaysian men’s singles quarter-final match in the Japan Open when top seed Datuk Lee Chong Wei and rising star Chong Wei Feng beat their respective opponents at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo yesterday.
Chong Wei beat 18-year old Danish Viktor Axelsen 21-10, 21-12 while Wei Feng who dashed the hopes of home fans by beating fifth seeded Kenichi Tago in the second round on Wednesday, showed tremendous form to defeat Ajay Jayaram of India 21-16, 21-16.
In the men’s doubles Koo Kean Keat/Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia crushed Patiphat Chalardchaleam/Nipitphon Puangpuapech of Thailand 21-8, 21-7 to ease into the next round.
The national number one pair are down to meet fifth seeded Naoki Kawamae/Shoji Sato of Japan today.
The country’s second pair comprising Hoon Thien How/Tan Wee Kiong beat Chris Adcock/Andrew Ellis of England 21-11, 21-14 to join their counterparts.
Mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying and Tan Wee Kiong/Ng Hui Lin also marched on to the quarterfinals after disposing their respective opponents.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying outclassed Japan’s Noriyasu Hirata/Miyuki Maeda 21-17, 21-16 while Wee Kiong-Hui Lin overcame Maneepong Jongjit/Savitree Amitrapai of Thailand 21-12, 21-15.
National shuttlers who were shown the exit included Liew Daren in men’s singles, Tee Jing Yi and Lydia Cheah from the women’s singles, as well as women’s doubles pair Ng Hui Ern/Ng Hui Lin.
Liew was beaten by eighth seed Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam 14-21, 23-21, 16-21, while Tee and Cheah were sent packing by Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon 11-21, 10-21 and Ai Goto of Japan 14-21, 21-15, 18-21 respectively.
The Ng sisters staged a strong fight and managed to steal a set before bowing out to sixth seeded Eom Hye Won/Jang Ye Na of South Korea 17-21, 29-27, 10-21. — Bernama