Malaysia's Zii Jia puts an end to Europe's challenge in men's singles in Bilbao
( Credit Image : Thestar.com)
There was special focus on Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia ( Image above) when the semi-finals were decided in the men's singles in the BWF World Junior Championships in Bilboa, Spain on Friday.
The No 2 seed snuffed out Europe's last hope, seventh seeded Toma Junior Popov of France in 33 minutes in his 21-12, 21-18 win in the quarter-finals to make it an all-Asian affair in the world meet.
The Malaysian will face Indonesia's No 14 seed Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo for a place in Sunday's final. Chico defeated Singaporean Ryan Ng Zin Ren (No 8 seed) 21-18, 21-14.
Meanwhile, top seed Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand was too strong for his South Korean opponent Woo Seung Hoon in the quarter-final, winning 21-11, 21-9 in 32 minutes.
Kantaphon will battle China's fifth seed Sun Feixiang in the semi-finals. The Chinese sent Japan;s Koko Watanabe, the ninth seed, out with a 21-17, 21-11 scoreline.
A Chinese, a Thai, a Korean and a Japanese will battle for a place in the women's singles final.
In the quarter-finals China's No 2 seed Chen Yufei defeated compatriot Han Yue 21-16, 21-15 while No 3 seed Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand gave a dominating performance to crush Singapore's Yeo Jia Min (No 6) 21-11, 21-11 while Japan's unseeded Natsukie Oie continued her giant killing feat to make the last four.
Natsuki who defeated last year's champion and No 1 seed Goh Jin Wei of Malaysia in round five, took the scalp of No 9 seed Gao Fangjie of China after battling for 50 minutes in her 22-20, 21-18 win. Her next match is against Pornpawee.
Fifth seeded Kim Ga-eun of Korea will face Chen Yufei in the semis. The Korean upstaged China's Cai Yanyan 21-17, 21-11 in 34 minutes.
There was a major upset in the men's doubles when No 2 seeds He Jiting-Tan Qiang fell fell by the wayside - after a shock 14-21, 21-16, 21-19 defeat to unseeded Koreans Lee Hong-sub-Lim Su-min after.
However, China still have their No 1 pair Han Chengkai-Zhou Haodong to vie for the gold medal. The pair strolled past Malaysians Leong Jun Hao-Ooi Zi Heng 21-8, 21-19 in only 22 minutes.
The top seeds will play Thailand's No 3 seeds Pakin Kuna-Anuvit-Natthapat Trinkajee who blew away Europe's hope Thom Gicquel-Toma Junior Popov of France 21-19, 21-13 in 39 minutes.
There was joy for Malaysia in the mixed doubles - earning a place in the last four through the mixed combination of Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei who fought a gruellng battle against India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Kuhoo Garg before prevailing 13-21, 21-12, 21-19.
The Malaysians next hurdle is a one tough one - against No 1 seeds He Jiting-Du Yue who crushed Indonesia's Amri Syahnawi-Vania Arianti Sukoco 21-11, 21-11.
Indonesia's Rinov Rivaldy-Apriani Rahayu, the No 2 seeds and bronze medal winners in Lima, Peru last year, failed to make the last four after they were shocked by unseeded Koreans Park Kyung-hoon-Kim Hye-jeong 21-18, 15-21, 21-14 in a 58 minute thriller.
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Men's singles
Kantaphon Wangcharoen (Tha) beat Woo Seung Hoon (Kor) 21-11, 21-9
Sun Feixiang (Chn) beat Koki Watanabe (Jpn) 21-17, 21-11
Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo (Ina) beat Ryan Ng Zin Rei (Sin) 21-18, 21-14
Lee Zii Jia (Mas) beat Toma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-12, 21-18
Men's doubles
Han Chengkai-Zhou Haodong (Chn) beat Leong Jun Hao-Ooi Zi Heng (Mas) 21-8, 21-10
Fan Qiuyue-Ren Xiangyu (Chn) beat Andika Ramadiansyah-Rinov Rivaldy (Ina) 21-18, 21-17
Pakin Kuna-Anuvit-Natthapat Trinkajee (Tha) beat Thom Gicquel-Tom Junior Popov (Fra) 21-19, 21-13
Lee Hong-sub-Lim Su-min (Kor) beat He Jiting-Tan Qiang (Chn) 14-21, 21-16, 21-19
Women's singles
Natsuki Oie (Jpn) beat Gao Fangjie (Chn) 22-20, 21-18
Kim Ga Eun (Kor) beat Cai Yanyan (Chn) 21-17, 21-11
Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) beat Yeo Jia Min (Sin) 21-11, 21-11
Chen Yufei (Chn) beat Han Yue (Chn) 21-16, 21-15
Women's doubles
Da Yue-Xu Ya (Chn) beat Minami Kawashima-Natsumi Uesugi (Jpn) 21-18, 21-17
Yulfira Barkah-Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto (Ina) beat Seong Ah-yeong-Seong Na-yeong (Kor) 18-21, 21-16, 22-20
Kim Ga-eun-Kim Hyang-im (Kor) beat Ng Tsz Yau-Yeung Nga Ting (Hkg) 21-17, 21-17
Sayaka Hobara-Nami Matsuyama (Jpn) beat Natsumi Oda-Natsuki Sone (Jpn) 19-21, 21-15, 21-16
Mixed doubles
He Jiting-Du Yue (Chn) beat Amri Syahnawi-Vania Arianti Sukoco (Ina) 21-11, 21-11
Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (Mas) beat Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Kuhoo Garg (Ind) 13-21, 21-12, 21-19
Zhou Haodong-Hu Yuxiang (Chn) beat Hiroki Okamura-Nami Matsuyama (Jpn) 21-14, 19-21, 22-20
Park Kyung-hoon-Kim Hye-jeong (Kor) beat Rinov Rivaldy-Apriani Rahayu (Ina) 21-18, 15-21, 21-14
Related Article
World and Olympic Champions Competing at the BAMTC 2023
Job Vacancy: Chief Operating Officer
