KUCHING: National shuttlers Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie have powered into the Swiss Open quarter-finals, keeping the national flag flying as the last remaining representatives in the tournament.
With grit, resilience and sheer determination, the mixed doubles power couple kept the Malaysian challenge alive after a nail-biting 25-23, 21-11 set win against Thailand’s Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat on Friday.
It was a contest that tested their nerves.
Soon Huat-Shevon started on shaky ground, conceding the first game 20-22 as errors crept into their play.
However, true to their fighting spirit, they refused to buckle under pressure.
The second game saw them dig deep, fending off multiple match points in a pulsating battle before forcing a decider with a hard-earned 25-23 win.
Sensing their opponents’ fatigue, the Malaysians turned up the heat in the final game, storming to a dominant 21-11 finish in just under an hour.
Their campaign in Basel, Switzerland, began with an emphatic first-round performance against Taiwan’s Chen Zhi-Ray and Yang Ching-Tun.
The world No. 13 pair wasted no time, dismantling their opponents 21-8, 21-18 in a swift 28-minute encounter.
Their sharp net play and clinical finishing set the tone for what they hoped would be a deep run in the tournament.
Now, an even tougher challenge awaits.
Standing in their way to the semi-final are Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran, who are set to face them as their quarter-final’s opponent on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Malaysian women’s singles hope Goh Jin Wei had her Swiss journey put to an end after losing against Thailand’s second seed Supanida Katethong in a 9-21, 21-18, 22-24 set loss.
Conversely, it was also a heart break for men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao after losing against Kenta Nishimoto in the second round.
Despite his aggressive play and clever shot-making, the Malaysian was unable to break down Nishimoto’s solid defence, bowing out 15-21, 17-21.
