Australia’s Nozomi Shimizu will play for two titles tomorrow after Day 4 of the MAXX North Harbour International at Badminton North Harbour on Saturday. Shimizu is into the women’s doubles final with Laudya Chelsea Griselda and the mixed doubles final with Andika Ramadiansyah.
Shimizu and Griselda open the day with a win
Shimizu and Griselda were first on court, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Hsuan Ni Chen and Chia-Yi Kung 21-11, 21-15 in the women’s doubles semifinals.
Griselda said small things were the difference.
“Patience, patience and belief in my partner,” she said.
Shimizu cited Griselda as a big reason for their win.
“I was a bit tired and I made easy mistakes, but my partner was so patient so that’s why we went on to win. I just trusted my partner,” she said.
Ramadiansyah and Shimizu through in mixed doubles
Shimizu and Ramadiansyah then defeated Chinese Taipei’s Lu Chen and Yun Jung Chang 21-16, 21-19 to reach the mixed doubles final. There was a noticeable sense of relief when the final shuttle hit the floor.
Ramadiansyah said he felt settled early on but nerves crept in late.
“For me, once we were leading 19-15, 19-16 I was fairly confident, but once it was 18, 19, I felt fairly nervous. I needed to manage it and just focus point by point and hit by hit, and luckily we could win,” he said.
Shimizu said her energy was down after playing both events.
“My performance was not that great compared to the first round and second round, because I played women’s doubles as well. I am just relieved for him,” she said, pointing to her partner.
Asked how excited she was about two finals tomorrow, she smiled.
“Yes, hopefully we’re not cramping!” she said.
They will meet Chinese Taipei’s Lin Bing-Wei and Liao Jui-Chi in the final.
Somerville’s two semifinal runs end
Angela Yu and Gronya Somerville (AUS) controlled much of their women’s doubles semifinal but could not close it out in the third game, losing 20-22, 22-20, 21-8 to second seeds Hsieh Mi Yen and Yu Chien Hui (TPE).
Somerville was also out in the mixed doubles semifinals. She and Michael Owen (AUS) showed grit against Lin Bing-Wei and Liao Jui-Chi but could not bridge the gap, losing 21-18, 17-21, 21-17.
Singles: defending champions advance, De Guzman out
The top seeds in both singles events, and defending champions, Po-Wei Wang and Tung Ciou-Tong (both TPE), moved through their semifinals under limited pressure.
Fan favourite Mikaela De Guzman (PHI) will not have the chance to improve on last year’s runner-up finish. She lost 21-18, 12-21, 11-21 to Chen Su Yu (TPE), the player she defeated in this tournament last year.
Japan’s Rei Miyashita will face Wang in the men’s singles final after defeating second seed Liao Jhuo-Fu 21-6, 22-20. Miyashita steadied his nerves when it mattered most and closed the match in two games. An unseeded player, earlier in the week he defeated 2025’s runner-up, Ting Yen-Chen and Ephraim Stephen Sam.
All-Chinese Taipei men’s doubles final
Shao Hua Chiu and Lin Bing-Wei (TPE) defeated second seeds Chang Ko-Chi and Chen Sheng Fa 21-16, 21-19 in a tight men’s doubles semifinal. They will play top seeds Huang Tsung-I and Lin Ting-Yu in the final.
Finals Day
Finals begin at 11am. Shimizu and Griselda play Hsieh Mi Yen/Yu Chien Hui (TPE) in the women’s doubles, Ramadiansyah/Shimizu play Lin/Liao in the mixed doubles, and Wang and Miyashita meet in men’s singles. Tung Ciou-Tong will face Chen Su Yu in an all-Chinese Taipei final.
