Jakarta: Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani kept the national challenge alive at the Indonesia Open after powering into the men’s doubles semifinals on Friday.
With Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan and mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai both bowing out in the quarterfinals, Sze Fei and Izzuddin are now Malaysia’s last remaining representatives in the Super 1000 badminton tournament.
The world No. 8 men’s doubles pair produced a sharp and controlled performance to defeat India’s Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun 21-12, 21-10 in just 32 minutes.
From the opening exchanges, Sze Fei and Izzuddin looked confident. They quickly moved ahead 4-1 in the first game and carried that advantage into the interval at 11-7.
The Indian pair briefly closed the gap to 10-11, but the Malaysians responded immediately. A strong scoring run helped Sze Fei and Izzuddin pull away before they sealed the opening game 21-12.
The second game was even more one-sided. Sze Fei and Izzuddin led 3-1 early, then added four straight points to take firm control. Against the world No. 30 Indian pair, the Malaysians continued to dictate the rallies and later produced an eight-point run from 12-8 to move within touching distance of victory.
They allowed Hariharan and Arjun only two more points before closing out the match 21-10.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin Set Up Semifinal Clash With Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae
Sze Fei and Izzuddin will face South Korea’s world champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae in the semifinals.
It will be the fourth meeting between the two pairs, with Kim and Seo holding a 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head record.
The Malaysians’ only win over the Korean pair came in the India Open final last January, where Sze Fei and Izzuddin triumphed in three games. Since then, Kim and Seo have responded strongly, winning their meetings at the All England Open and the Japan Open final in straight games.
For Sze Fei and Izzuddin, the semifinal will be a major test of their title credentials. Kim and Seo remain one of the most dangerous combinations in men’s doubles badminton, but the Malaysians have shown enough form in Jakarta to make the match highly competitive.
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Fall in Controversial Quarterfinal
Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai came painfully close to reaching the semifinals but were edged out by defending champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France.
The world No. 12 Malaysian pair lost 21-15, 18-21, 20-22 in a dramatic quarterfinal that ended with controversy in the deciding game.
Soon Huat and Shevon had trailed 14-16 in the final game before winning five straight points to move ahead 19-16. They later held match point at 20-17, but Gicquel and Delrue fought back to level the score at 20-20.
The turning point came just before the French pair served at 20-20. As Soon Huat and Shevon briefly communicated before receiving serve, the umpire judged Soon Huat to be delaying play and issued a red card. That penalty handed the French pair a 21-20 lead, and they won the next rally to complete the comeback.
After the match, Shevon expressed her frustration with the decision.
“At 20-20, we were ready to reset, regain our rhythm, and focus again, but then the red card came,” she said.
“If we had lost after a clean battle without interference, I would respect it and accept it. But today, under these circumstances, it is really hard to accept.”
The defeat ended Soon Huat and Shevon’s run in Jakarta after they had shown strong form earlier in the tournament.
Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan Exit in Women’s Doubles
Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan also saw their Indonesia Open campaign end in the quarterfinals.
The world No. 2 pair lost 20-22, 16-21 to Japan’s Rui Hirokami and Sayaka Hobara after a 46-minute contest.
It was Pearly and Thinaah’s first defeat to the Japanese pair in three meetings. The Malaysians had their chances in the opening game but were unable to close it out after a tight finish.
Hirokami and Hobara gained confidence after taking the first game 22-20 and carried that momentum into the second. Pearly and Thinaah tried to stay within reach, but the Japanese pair were steadier in the key rallies and sealed the win 21-16.
Malaysia Left With One Semifinal Hope in Jakarta
After a difficult quarterfinal day for Malaysia, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin now stand as the country’s final hope at the Indonesia Open.
Their impressive straight-game win over Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun gives Malaysian badminton fans a reason to stay optimistic, but the semifinal against Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae will be a much tougher challenge.
With a place in the final at stake, Sze Fei and Izzuddin will need another disciplined and fearless performance to keep their Indonesia Open title hopes alive.
