The quarter finalists have been decided at the Crown Group Australian Badminton Open 2019 as the round of 16 served up some fierce competition at the Quaycentre in Sydney Olympic Park.
The mixed doubles opened up with a scintillating display of badminton as the first two games on court went the distance over three thrilling games.
Indonesia’s fourth seeds Hafiz Faizal and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja suffered an early scare after losing the first game against Hong Kong’s Chang Tak Ching and Ng Wing Yung. However, the experienced pair quickly regrouped and stole the momentum early on in the second and stormed through to vicotry.
- Hafiz Faizal/Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (INA) vs Chang Tak Ching/Ng Wing Yung (HKG) 19-21 21-7 21-11
Only two courts away, Hong Kong compatriots Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet were competing in an intense match, spanning over 69 minutes. It looked like the Malaysian opponents were going to steal the victory after saving two match points in the thrid and final game, however Tang and Tse held their nerve to take the match on the next time of asking.
- Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying (HKG) Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing (MAS) 21-18 19-21 22-20
Meanwhile, the first seeds from China Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping did not wait around after a close first game. The established pair stepped their foot on the pedal and powered through the second game against Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Wakana Nagahara to set up a quarter final against England’s Chris and Gabrielle Adcock tomorrow.
Korea’s Ko Sung Hyun caused another upset on day three after knocking out the fifth seeds in the men’s doubles last night. Today, alongside Eom Hye Won in the mixed doubles, the pair defeated the eighth seeds from China.
- Ko Sung Hyun/ Eom Hye Won (KOR) vs He Jiting/Du Yue (CHN) [8] 22-20 21-14
Du Yue suffered another blow in the women’s doubles later in the evening, where she is also seeded eighth alongside Li Yinhui. The pair endured in long battles against their Korean opposition, but could not find the answers to break through their remarkable defense.
- Kim So Yeong/Kong Hee Yong (KOR) vs Du Yue/Li Yinhui (CHN) [8] 21-13 21-16
Japan’s top men’s and women’s doubles pairs signed off the evening with adrenaline-ridden games to the delight of the crowds. Both pairs let go of their lead and dropped the second game, but regained control and looked relieved to win in three games.
- Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (JPN) [2] vs Chang Ye Na/Jung Kyung Eun (KOR) 21-19 16-21 21-15
- Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (JPN) [1] vs Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi (JPN) 21-19 18-21 21-16
Elsewhere in the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, the seeded pairs survived their second round encounters to secure their spot in the quarter finals tomorrow.
Find out all the results from day three and check the line-up for tomorrow’s quarter finals on Tournament Software.
