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MALAYSIA’S HOPES … fourth seeded Abdul Khalid Mohd Lutfi Zaim and Lim Yin Loo will lead Malaysia’s charge in the mixed doubles.
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23rd November, 2008
KOTA KINABALU: It is going to be an all-Malaysian final in the men’s singles of the Malaysia International Challenge Badminton Championship today.
Chong Wei Feng and Kuan Beng Hong lived up to their top billing after defeating their respective opponents albeit with a different fashion in the semi-finals at the Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex multi purpose hall in Likas last night.
While the top seeded Wei Feng was forced to sweat it out, it was another easy night out for the second seeded Beng Hong.
Wei Feng for a third straight match was forced to settle things via a rubber game.
Despite having the best of starts against the 11th seeded Indonesian Adityawarman Andreas, Feng Wei did not have it easy.
In fact Feng Wei was pretty much taking charge of the set leading right from the first serve until when Adityawarman managed to level the scoreline at 17-all.
From then on there was no turning back for Adityawarman as he went on to win the first set 21-18.
But in the second set, it was a neck to neck battle for both players before Wei Feng eventually took control to force the game into the third set after winning 21-13.
Chong continued his domination in the decider as he sealed a 21-12 victory.
But if Wei Feng is to win his first international title here then he will not want to sing the same song against the in-form Beng Hong who cruised into an easy victory over a Korean.
The aggressive Beng Hong was too much for Rho Ye Wook.
It only took Beng Hong 30 minutes to outplay his opponent by registering a straight set 21-11, 21-11 victory.
But what is certain today is that it is going to be an exciting final clash between the two Malaysian rising stars.
Malaysia’s hope of making the final appearance in the women’s singles did not materialise after Sannatasah Saniru failed to get the better of her Korean opponent Bae Seung Hee.
The Sabahan was tamed rather easily losing 21-14, 21-8.
Bae will take on Indonesian Febby Anggun, who scored an upset victory over top seeded Hung Shih Nan of Chinese Taipei winning 21-16, 21-15.
Meanwhile in the men’s doubles, it will also be an all-Malaysian final after top and second seeded Malaysian pairs defeated their respective opponents.
Top seeded duo of Ong Jian Guo and Gan Teik Chai (MAS) defeated Narkthong Nuttaphon/Chalardchalaem Patiphat (THA) 21-11, 16-21, 21-14, while the pair of Goh Wei Shem and Lin Woon Fui edged Japanese pair Hashimoto Hirokatsu and Yone Takao 20-22, 21-18, 21-17.
The women’s doubles also saw an upset being created when the unseeded Korean pair of Bae Seung Hee/Park Sun Young (KOR) defeated top seeded Frances Liu Fan and Vanessa Neo Yu Yan of Singapore 21-12, 21-12. They will take on team-mates Kim Mi Young and Jang Ye Na (KOR) for an all-Korean final.
Kim Mi Young and Jang Ye Na defeated third seeded Amitrapai Savitree and Munkit Vacharaporn of Thailand 21-17, 23-21.
In the mixed doubles, it will be a battle between the top seeded Singaporean pair and the Malaysian pair.
Abdul Khalid Mohd Lutfi Zaim and Lim Yin Loo seeded fourth, defeated team-mates Mak Hee Chun and Vivian Hoo Kah Mun to set up a final date against Chrisnanta Danny Bawa and Vannesa Neo Yu Yan who edged the third seeded Malaysian pair of Teo Kok Siang and Sannatasah Saniru 21-17, 21-13.
The final will be played from 2pm starting with the mixed doubles, women’s singles, men’s singles, women’s doubles and men’s doubles.
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