Pictured: Tomoka Miyazaki (JPN) Photo credit: BadmintonPhoto
With Japan, Chinese Taipei and Korea filling the schedule for semifinals day at the CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open 2023, there was going to be nothing short of fireworks across many of the matches.
Both number one and two seeds were bundled out of the women’s singles draw on what was to be a day that Korea shone brightly. While Tomoka Miyazaki made short work of Sung Shuo Yun [1], Korea’s Kim Ga Ram had to fight back after winning the first, then losing the second game to her compatriot, Sim Yu Jin [2]. After leading 11-0 at the interval, Sim put the pressure back on Kim but could not close the gap enough to secure the win.
- Tomoka Miyazaki (JPN) vs Sung Shuo Yun (TPE) [1] 21-16 21-13
- Kim Ga Ram (KOR) vs Sim Yu Jin (KOR) [2] 21-14 14-21 21-18
The entertainment did not stop as unseeded Liao Jhuo-Fu came out to prove himself against Su Li Yang [4]. Liao ended the hope of Su as he booked his ticket in the men’s singles final. In the other semifinal, it was the seventh seed against the sixth seed. As even as it gets, a place in the final was anyone’s for the taking. Jeon Hyeok Jin seemed to be hungrier for the win, securing his place in two consistent games against Riku Hatano from Japan.
- Liao Jhuo-Fu (TPE) vs Su Li Yang (TPE [4] 22-20 23-21
- Jeon Hyeok Jin (KOR) [7] vs Riku Hatano (JPN) [6] 21-16 21-16
Korea was to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with as one of their men’s doubles pair, Jin Yong and Na Sung Seung had a win over the number two seed from Chinese Taipei. It was not an easy win, with the match swinging back and forth, favouring each pair at different times. Unable to follow in their teammates shoes, Kim Young Hyuk and Wang Chan could not stop the relentless attack from Wei Chun Wei and Wu Guan Xun who will return tomorrow for the final.
- Jin Yong/Na Sung Seung (KOR) vs Lin Yu Chieh/Su Li Wei (TPE) 21-13 18-21 21-15
- Wei Chun Wei/Wu Guan Xun (TPE) vs Kim Young Hyuk/Wang Chan 21-19 23-21
Korea and Chinese Taipei are the countries that will represent the women’s doubles in the finals of the CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open 2023. Lee Yu Lim and the powerhouse, Shin Seung Chan won the first game with ease before letting the second seeded pair from Chinese Taipei back in the hunt. In the break between the second and third games, a strategy was put into action as the third game was very one sided. In the second semifinal, the number one seeds, Hsu Ya Ching kept moving forward, leaving their compatriots, Chiu Pin-Chian and Tung Ciou-Tong to ponder what might have been.
- Lee Yu Lim/Shin Seung Chan (KOR) [4] vs Chang Ching Hui/Yang Ching Tun (TPE [2] 21-11 14-21 21-6
- Hsu Ya Ching/Lin Wan Ching (TPE) [1] vs Chiu Pin-Chian/tung Ciou-Tong (TPE) 21-15 21-15
Meanwhile in the mixed doubles, the only seeded pair left in the draw, Wu Guan Xun and Yang Chu Yun could not stop the vocal, high flying Japanese pair. The first game was to set the scene with a 27-25 win to Hashimo Shimono and Miku Shigeta. Wu Guan Xun and Yang Chu Yan rallied around and came back to win the second but could not hold out the Japanese in the third. Wang Chang and Shin Seung Chan from Korea had to fight hard to secure their place in the mixed doubles final, strenuously breaking down the Japanese pair in the second game to take victory.
- Hashiru Shimono/Miku Shigeta (JPN) vs Wu Guan Xun/Yang Chu Yun (TPE) [5] 27-25 18-21 23-21
- Wang Chan/Shin Seung Chan (KOR) vs Hiroki Nishi/Akari Sato (JPN) 21-13 22-20
Check out all results from day five of the CROWNE PLAZA Northern Marianas Open 2023 on Tournament Software.
All matches on court one (finals) are available to watch live and free via Badminton Oceania’s YouTube channel – click here to watch.
Day three starts with the men’s and women’s doubles at 1pm local time (GMT+10). Follow the latest news and find out more on Badminton Oceania’s Facebook page.
