Quarterfinals day of the CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open 2025 brought electrifying action and unforgettable moments as players clashed for the coveted semifinal spots. The day was packed with dramatic comebacks, unexpected upsets, and rising stars making their mark. With passionate support echoing from the stands, the energy on court was palpable. As the tournament heats up, the excitement only continues to grow.
MIXED DOUBLES
New Zealand’s Edward Lau and Shaunna Li found themselves behind after their first game against Japan’s Kenta Matsukawa and Riko Kiyose. With supporters in the stands, the Kiwi duo clawed their way back to take the second game and held off the Japanese duo’s last minute charge to claim their spot in the semifinals. The final score was 17-21, 21-18, 21-17.
“We struggled a bit at the start, adjusting to the different hall conditions. But, we stuck to our game plan and were able to control the shuttle better as the match went on.,” said Li after the match. “We’re really happy to come away with the win today and are looking forward to building on this in the semifinals tomorrow!”
Two Australian pairs were in the quarterfinals – Frederick Zhao/Jazmine Lam and Jordan Wang/YeeYuan Lim. Both pairs had gutsy performances, but fell short of the final goal, losing to Haruki Kawabe/Kokona Ishikawa (JPN) and Yu Hsiang Chou/Yuan Chi Liao (TPE) respectively.
Second seeds, Akira Koga and Yuho Imai (JPN), powered to a win over the local duo of Jude Mallari and Genelyn Lansangan (NMP) for the final place in the semifinals.
MEN’S SINGLES
Cho Geonyeop faced compatriot Cho Hyeon Woo. Down to the wire. A slip from Hyeon Woo Cho in the final point of the game awarded Cho Geonyeop the win after an hour of powerful rallies (11-21, 21-17, 24-22)
Choi Jihoon (KOR)’s tough draw continued today, facing Yudai Okimoto of Japan. A close contest in the first game saw Okimoto sneak away with a 22-20 win. In the second, Choi seemed to lose focus for a minute, which the Japanese athlete pounced on. In what felt like the blink of an eye, Choi found himself trailing 2-16. He regained his focus and attempted to regain control, but little could be done. Yudai Okimoto won the match 22-20, 21-10.
WOMEN’S SINGLES
Ririna Hiramoto (JPN) tested Park Ga Eun (KOR) on Court 3. The pair traded blows, but eventually, the Northern Marianas International winner forced two errors from her opponent to award her the win, 21-18, 26-24.
In a stunning upset, Kim Min Ji (KOR) dug deep to upset number one seed, Tanya Hemanth (IND) in a gruelling three-game thriller. After going down 16-21 in the first game, Hemanth returned to the court determined to take the win. Her confidence increased as the rallies continued and she took the second game. However, late in the third game, Kim found an extra level. Keeping her composure, the Korean player surged to take the win, 21-16, 17-21, 21-15.
MEN’S DOUBLES
Koga returned to the court with Naoya Kawashima to face the number one seeds, Eng Keat Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo (SGP). The match was tight from the start, with neither side pulling ahead until the Singaporeans edged out the first game. They carried that momentum into the second, but with strong crowd support, the Japanese pair rallied to force a decider. In the final game, Koga and Kawashima found their rhythm after the interval, sealing a hard-fought 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 victory.
Meanwhile, Haruki Kawabe and Kenta Matsukawa (JPN) took on Chia Weijie and Lwi Sheng Ha (MAS). The second seeds from Malaysia took the early lead, with a 21-15 first game win. But the young Japanese players found their footing to take back the second. With the support from the crowd, Kawabe and Matsukawa forced errors and broke away to take the win 15-21, 21-19, 21-14.
WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Following her disappointing finish in the WS, Hiramoto returned to the court with a renewed passion. Alongside Kokona Ishikawa, who earlier won her XD match, they took on the formidable number one seeds, Teng Chun Hsun and Yang Chu Yun (TPE). The Japanese pair quickly found a rhythm, working up a sizeable gap early. While the experienced Chinese Taipei pair scrambled to close the gap, Hiramoto and Ishikawa continued to push. In 44 minutes, they won the match 21-15, 21-16.
A high-quality match between Tomona Harima/Tsukiko Yasaki (JPN) and Kim Min Ji/Ye Na Lee had the entire hall on notice. With long rallies and exciting shots, either side was poised to take the win. It came down to the final game, where the Japanese duo stayed composed and confident to press their opponents and win. The final score was 21-16, 20-22, 21-18.
SEMIFINALISTS
Mixed Doubles:
Edward Lau/Shaunna Li (NZL)
Haruki Kawabe/Kokona Ishikawa (JPN)
Yu Hsiang Chou/Yuan Chi Liao (TPE)
Akira Koga and Yuho Imai (JPN)
Women’s Singles:
Park Ga Eun (KOR)
Kim Min Ji (KOR)
Sakura Masuki (JPN)
Kanae Sakai (JPN)
Men’s Singles:
Yudai Okimoto (JPN)
Kim Hae Deun (KOR)
Cho Geonyeop (KOR)
Jeon Hyeok Jin (KOR)
Women’s Doubles:
Tomona Harima/Tsukiko Yasaki (JPN)
Yui Komatsu/Natsuki Sone (JPN)
Hinata Suzuki/Nao Yamakita (JPN)
Ririna Hiramoto/Kokona Ishikawa (JPN)
Men’s Doubles:
Naoya Kawashima/Akira Koga (JPN)
Haruki Kwabe/Kenta Matsukawa (JPN)
Kakeru Kumagi/Hiroki Nishi (JPN)
Park Beom Soo/Shin Tae Yang (KOR)
Semifinals Action kicks off at 3pm local time at Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
Keep up the CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open 2025
For the livestream, click here.
For the draw/results, click here.
