Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Indonesian mixed-doubles Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir entered the semifinals of the Malaysian Badminton Open Super Series on Friday after beating Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhi from Denmark.
Nova and Lilyana beat the Danish pair who ranked fifth in the world in a straight set 21-16, 24-22. This was the sixth victory over the pair that Nova and Lilyana made in seven encounters with them.
Nova and Lilyana would meet Chinese pair Zheng Bo and Gao Ling in the semifinals on Saturday.
Nova said he predicted the match with the Chinese would be tight. "It would certainly be tight. We lost to them in the Asian Games (in Doha, Qatar) recently. Our chances are fifty-fifty," he said after the match.
Nova said that the newly-set Chinese pair was better than the old pair of Zhang Jun and Gao Ling who now ranked second in the world.
Indonesia still have two pairs to play in the women`s doubles namely Endang Nursugianti/ Rani Mundiastuti and Greysia Poliie/Vita Marissa and one pair to play in the men`s doubles namely Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan in the US,000 prize tournament.
(source: antara)
