Taipei: Two former Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) shuttlers – Daren Liew and Tan Chun Seang have advanced to the last eight of the $55,000 Taiwan Masters GP on Thursday.
Daren Liew who resigned from BAM in January 2016, disposed Adulrach Namkul of Thailand 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7 in 42 minutes to move on to the final 8. Liew who was the only Malaysian after World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei to have won a Superseries title, the 2012 French Open, will play Shesar Hiren Rhustavito of Thailand on Friday.
The 30-year-old Tan Chun Seang edged out local shuttler Shih Kuei Chun 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 in 34 minutes to set up a clash with another Taiwan shuttler, the No. 1 seed Hsu Jen Hao next.
Women’s singles No. 2 seed Tee Jing Yi became the only Malaysian women’s shuttler left in the tournament after another Malaysian women’s singles shuttler Ho Yen Mei crashed out in the third round.
Tee beat Yeo Jia Min of Singapore with 11-9, 15-14, 11-3 on Thursday while Ho Yen Mei was sent packing by Lee Chia Hsin of Taiwan 7-11, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11 in 35 minutes.
Although Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s doubles had fizzled out after No. 8 seeds Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub/Jagdish Singh after succumbed to Singapore’s Danny Bawa Chrisnanta/Hendra Wijaya 5-11, 9-11, 3-11, two Malaysian women’s doubles pairs fared better than their male counterparts by entering the Taiwan Masters quarter-finals.
The Malaysian women’s doubles pair of Chow Mei Kuan/Lee Meng Yean rallied past Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida 11-4, 11-4, 12-10 in 31 minutes while another women’s doubles pair Lim Yin Loo/Yap Cheng Wen dispatched Lin Xiao Min/Wu Fang Chien from Taiwan 11-8, 11-7, 11-9.
Chow/Lee will battle Ayako Sakuramoto/Yukiko Takahata of Japan for a place in the semi-finals next, while Lim/Yap are set to meet No. 2 seeds Poon Lok Yan Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong on Friday.
