There’s no stopping mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying once they get their rhythm going.
And they showed their synergy and determination by powering their way into the semi-finals of the Indonesian Masters with a superb 21-11, 22-20 win against world No. 13 Marcus Ellis-Lauren Smith of England in Jakarta yesterday.
The world No. 6 Peng Soon-Liu Ying have now played 12 matches across three tournaments in three consecutive weeks and winning the Thailand Masters along the way.
They must be running on fumes by now, but instead the independent shuttlers are still going strong.
And they have promised to give another good show when they take on home favourites Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir. It’ll be a repeat of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games final where the Malaysians will be out to avenge their defeat.
“We’ve trained hard and prepared for three tournaments, so we’re still feeling good at the moment,” said Peng Soon.
Yesterday, they went on the offensive in the first game and never slowed down as they comfortably won it.
The second game saw both pairs exchanging leads and it nearly got away from the Malaysians, who were down at game point, but they kept their cool to secure the next three points to win the match.
“The second game was a bit difficult as our opponents (Marcus-Lauren) changed strategy, but we’re happy we managed to pull away for the win.”
While Peng Soon-Liu Ying advanced, it was the end of the road for national mixed doubles shuttlers Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, who went down fighting 13-21, 20-22 to China’s world No. 1 Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong.
Soon Huat-Shevon went neck and neck against Zheng-Huang in the second game and had the game point, but it was not to be as they lost the match.
Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s singles also ended as Lee Zii Jia was sent packing by Denmark’s Anders Antonsen 21-13, 21-13 in the quarter-final.
It was nevertheless another positive outing for the 20-year-old, who had earlier stunned world No. 3 Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan 21-13, 21-13 in the first round.
Zii Jia has shown consistency having also finished in the last eight of the Thailand and Malaysian Masters.
