Cheam June Wei to Face Lee Chia Hao in Kaohsiung Masters Final

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Cheam June Wei enters the Kaohsiung Masters final. (Photo: Defoldi)
Cheam June Wei enters the Kaohsiung Masters final. (Photo: Defoldi)

Kaohsiung: At the 2024 Kaohsiung Masters, a BWF Tour Super 100 tournament, Malaysia’s World No. 61 men’s singles player Cheam June Wei advanced to the finals on Saturday. This was also the first final for Cheam in two years! However, two Malaysian men’s doubles pairs were halted in the semifinals.

Highlights of Cheam June Wei vs. Cheng Kai in the 2024 Kaohsiung Masters semifinal:

The sixth seed Cheam June Wei ended the journey of Taiwan’s “dark horse”, Cheng Kai in the men’s singles semifinals with a score of 21-12, 21-17. Although Cheng Kai is only ranked World No. 308th, he progressed through the qualification rounds and eliminated his teammate and third seed Su Li Yang in the second round, Indonesia’s 2020 Thomas Cup champion Shesar Hiren Rhustavito in the third round, and seventh seed and world junior champion Alwi Farhan of Indonesia in the quarter-finals.

This is Cheam June Wei’s first appearance in a World Badminton Federation (BWF) tournament final since ended up as runner-up at the 2022 Indonesia Masters, a Super 100 tournament. His last championship win dates back to the 2019 Malaysia International Challenge. Cheam June Wei aims to break his nearly five-year title drought and will face the ultimate test against fourth seed Lee Chia Hao (world-ranked 31) from the home team in the final. Lee Chia Hao defeated his teammate and second seed Wang Tzu Wei (world ranked 21) in the semifinals with a score of 21-10, 21-15.

In the men’s doubles semifinals, Malaysia’s Low Hang Yee/Ng Eng Cheong fought hard in three games but ultimately lost 18-21, 21-11, 18-21 to the newly paired Taiwanese duo Chang Ko Chi/Chen Xin-Yuan. Earlier, another Malaysian pair Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub Azriyn/Tan Wee Kiong (world ranked 60) lost 16-21, 20-22 to Taiwan’s Chen Zhi Ray/Lin Yu Chieh (world ranked 100), marking their second consecutive semifinal exit at this event.

This means the Malaysian badminton contingent was unable to defend the men’s doubles title in Kaohsiung, as last year’s champions were the Malaysian pair Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin.

Meanwhile, the hosts Taiwan have a chance to secure five gold medals at home. The women’s singles final will feature an all-Taiwanese battle between second seed Hsu Wen Chi and third seed Pai Yu Po. The mixed doubles final will see Taiwan’s top seeds Yang Po Hsuan/Hu Ling Fang face off against Thailand’s second seeds Ruttanapak Oupthong/Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat. The women’s doubles final will be between Taiwan’s second seeds Sung Shuo Yun/Yu Chien Hui and Indonesia’s third seeds Jesita Putri Miantoro/Febi Setianingrum.

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