PHNOM PENH: Two national men’s singles shuttlers, Leong Jun Hao and Lee Shun Yang, are one step away from reaching the final of the 2023 SEA Games, here.
In today’s quarter-final matches, both Jun Hao and Shun Yang earned their semi-final tickets after they overcame Jewel Angelo Ablo of the Philippines and Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul respectively.
The results meant the bronze medal will surely be in their hands, should both players lose in the semi-finals, tomorrow.
Jun Hao, seeded third, disposed of unseeded Ablo, 21-14, 23-21, to sail through to the semi-finals and meet second-seeded Christian Adinata of Indonesia or Vietnam’s Nguyen Hai Dang.
The world number 64 said he was relieved to kill the game in the second set as Albo was trying to crawl back into the game at the end of the second set.
“Maybe towards the end, he changed his game and went for all-out attack. (This is) quite shocking because he did not play like that in the beginning, but he chased points towards the end,” he told reporters after the match.
He was also pleased to know that Shun Yang made the cut to the next round and that would surely lift the burden off his shoulder as Malaysia now have two men’s singles in the semi-finals.
Despite losing the opening set, 18-21, fourth-seeded Shun Yang staged a magnificent comeback to see off Teeraratsakul, 21-19, 21-17, to book his place in the semi- finals.
Shun Yang, who was delighted by the victory, admitted that today’s performance was his best game in Cambodia so far after a poor start in the Games, losing two matches in the men’s team event recently.
The 21-year-old suffered defeats to Vietnam’s Le Duc Phat in the quarter-final, 13-21, 21-16, 7-21 and Adinata, 17-21, 9-21, when Malaysia went down 1-3 to Indonesia in the men’s team final.
A tricky journey awaits the Penangite en route to the final as he will take on top seed, Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo of Indonesia, who prevailed against Duc Phat, 21-6, 21-18.
As such, Shun Yang said he will ask for a tip from Jun Hao on ways to get the better of Chico after the latter squeezed past the Indonesian in the first match of the men’s team final, 21-16, 21-13.
Meanwhile, it was a stroll in the park for national mixed doubles pair, Yap Roy King-Cheng Su Yin as they blitzed home duo, Vannthou Vath-Kimloung Lim in just 16 minutes, 21-5, 21-3.
Roy King-Su Yin will determine a final slot against Pakkapon Teeraratsakul-Phataimas Muenwong after the Thai pair defeated Alvin Morada-Alyssa Ysabel Leonardo of the Philippines, 21-11, 21-14, in the other quarter-final match.
However, another mixed doubles pair, Choong Hon Jian-Yap Ling’s journey in the biennial Games were halted by Ratchapol Makkasasithorn-Chasinee Korepap as they went down to the Thai duo, 14-21, 18-21. – Bernama
