KUALA LUMPUR: Much has been made of Goh V Shem and Lim Khim Wah’s new partners but it was another new pair, Chooi Kah Ming-Teo Ee Yi, who stole the limelight at the Malaysia International Challenge semi-finals in Kuching.
Kah Ming, world junior champion with Ow Yao Han in 2009, combined well with Ee Yi, world junior champion in 2011 with Nelson Heg, to beat fifth seeds Khim Wah-Yao Han in the men’s doubles semi-finals on Saturday.
The pair, who had to earn passage into the main draw via the qualifying rounds, came back strongly from a game down to beat their SEA Games-bound compatriots 21-23, 21-8, 27-25.
It was their third scalp of the tournament, having beaten top seeds Hafiz Faisal-Putra Eka Rhoma of Indonesia in the first round and V Shem-Teo Kok Siang in the quarter-finals.
Kah Ming-Ee Yi will certainly fancy their chances of a first title together when they take on seventh seeds Selvanus Geh-Alfian Eko Prasetya of Indonesia in Sunday’s final.
The Indonesians also battled hard before beating the Taiwanese-Malaysian combination of Lu Ching Yao-Mak Hee Chun 21-17, 19-21, 21-16.
In the men’s singles, former national shuttler Mohd Arif Abdul Latif continued his fine run with a convincing 21-19, 21-14 win over Singapore’s Ashton Chen.
The Seremban-born shuttler who left the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in August this year will take on Ivanudin Rifan Fauzin of Indonesia for the title.
Malaysia will also be represented in the women’s doubles as Amelia Alicia Anscelly-Soong Fie Cho recovered from a game down to beat Japan’s Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota 13-21, 21-13, 21-10.
They will face another Japanese pair in the final – Kugo Asumi-Yui Miyauchi, who ended the challenge of youngsters Chow Mei Kuan-Shevon Lai Jemie.
In the mixed doubles, there was disappointment for top seeds Ong Jian Guo-Lim Yin Loo and fourth seeds Mohd Lufti Zaim-Amelia who were both knocked out in the semi-finals.
