Lucknow: Unseeded Malaysian men’s pair Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong stayed on course for their first title in 2016 after pulling off the biggest upset in the semi-finals of Syed Modi International Badminton Championship by beating top seeds and world number four pair, Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen of Denmark 21-16, 21-18 on Saturday.
Goh/Tan are slated to play India’s Pranaav Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar for a final meeting when the Indian pair shocked second-seeded South Korean pair of Kim Gi Jung and Kim Sa Rang 25-23, 13-21, 21-17 in an hour and four minutes to book the men’s doubles final.
In a completely one-sided men’s singles contest, India’s ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth made mincemeat of 11th seed Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana 21-14, 21-7 in 32 minutes to set up a summit clash with China’s Huang Yuxiang, who edged out fellow compatriot Shi Yuqi 17-21, 22-20, 21-12 in a thrilling semifinal.
In women’s doubles, Commonwealth Games silver medalists Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa failed to break the Korean pair as they suffered a straight game loss to second-seeded South Koreans Jung Kyung Eun and Shin Seung Chan, 14-21, 16-21 in 39 minutes.
There were not much surprises in the women’s singles semi-finals, as No. 2 seed Sung Ji Hyun of Korea dismissed unseeded Nitchaon Jindapol 21-16 21-8 to face off fifth seed Sayaka Sato of Japan, who needed 38 minutes to notch up a 21-15 21-17 victory over Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in another semifinal.
No. 2 seeds Praveen Jordan/Debby Susanto will meet unseeded Puavaranukroh Dechapol/Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand for the mixed doubles title in the US$120,000 (RM497, 150) tournament.
