Saturday 12 October 2024 – A full day of intense Quarterfinal and Semifinal action has set the stage for an exciting Finals line-up on our fifth and last day.
In a valiant effort from the remaining Oceania players in the mixed draw, Edward Lau/Gronya Someville were unable to outplay their Chinese Taipei opponents, making their Bendigo International campaign conclude in the Semi Finals.
The Men’s Singles Quarter Finals were fiercely contested, with each player showcasing distinct tactical approaches and resilience, leading to multiple three-game matches. Ultimately, Japanese players dominated, resulting in an all-Japan Men’s Singles Semi Final lineup. In the first match of the evening, Shogo Ogawa took on Koya Iwano. Ogawa started strong, building a comfortable lead. A determined Iwano fought back and narrowed the gap but not enough to stop Ogawa from securing the first game, 21-16. Ogawa continued his commanding form in the second game, deploying smart tactics to win decisively, 21-8.
Also in the Semi finals, Singapore’s reigning champion Jaslyn Hooi, faced challenges as she struggled with court positioning and an injury but fought through the match. Her movement became increasingly limited in the final game due to her worsening condition, allowing India’s Tanya Hemanth to take advantage. In a gripping three-games battle, Hemanth delivered an impressive performance, ultimately prevailing with scores of 21-15, 18-21, and 21-15.
The Men’s Doubles Quarter Finals and Semi Finals featured several tightly contested matches, with each pair displaying remarkable tenacity and resilience. In the last match of the Quarter Final session, Chinese Taipei’s Po Li Wei/Chen Cheng Kuan faced Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa/Kyohei Yamashita. The momentum shifted repeatedly throughout the 61-minute battle, as both sides fought to secure the win. Down 19-20 in the deciding game, the Japanese pair couldn’t counter Po Li Wei’s powerful attack, which clinched the victory for the Chinese Taipei duo.
With only two spots available in the Finals, all pairs put on their best performance in the Semis for a chance to claim the title. Top seeds Amasakarun/Rethinasa from India have had a strong competition thus far with their comfortable wins in previous rounds. Facing Japanese duo Ionue/Kawabe in their first head-to-head match, the score was even throughout the entirety of the opening game but was clinched by India 23-21, and ultimately 21-14. They will face Po/Chen tomorrow in the finals in the Men’s Doubles final.
In the mixed Semi Finals, the Singapore duo displays a strong performance against sixth seed Po/Lin from Taipei. Jin and Koh showcased their aggressive and fast mid-court and net control. Despite having a good lead in the first game, they lost momentum and dropped the first game to the experienced Po and Lin. The Singaporeans came back with full force in the next two games, solidifying convincing wins for themselves at 21-11 and 21-15. They face another Chinese Taipei pair in the finals tomorrow – Chen Cheng Kuan/Lee Chih Chen.
Tune in to our livestream here: https://bit.ly/YBI2024StreamingPlaylist
Finals day schedule: https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/tournament/f521b97c-fd6d-4626-88e2-8b3bd48de049/matches/20241013
Follow the Badminton Oceania Instagram for more tournament information: https://www.instagram.com/badmintonoceania/
Yonex Bendigo International Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/vYB3F2Zh5iUzPW9L/
Image credits: Adam Photography
