Tai Tzu, Yufei, Okuhara, Yamaguchi reach SFs of Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open 2019

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 1 Tai Tzu Ying, World No 2 Chen Yufei, World No 3 Nozomi Okuhara, Japan, China, and World No 4 Akane Yamaguchi, Japan, reached the women’s singles semi-finals of Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open 2019, an HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 level tournament, at Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 5, 2019.

Top seed Tai Tzu beat World No 8 Ratchanok Intanon, Thailand, 21-19, 21-13 in 35 minutes in the quarter-finals. Tai Tzu won 42 rallies in the match to 32 by Intanon, who had recently won the India Open 2019 title. Intanon, however, still leads Tai Tzu 13-11 head to head.

Chen Yufei beat World No 10 Sung Ji Hyun, South Korea, 21-18, 21-14 in 36 minutes in the quarter-finals. Yufei won 42 rallies in the match to 32 by Hyun. She also won 6 consecutive points to 4 by Hyun. Yufei now leads Hyun 9-1 head to head.

Okuhara, the 2017 World Champion, beat World No 7 HE Bingjiao, China, the 7th seed, in a tough contest 21-19, 23-21 in 51 minutes in the quarter-finals. Okuhara, the 2nd seed, won 44 rallies in the match to 40 by Bingjiao. Both the players won 4 consecutive points in the match. Okuhara now leads Bingjiao 6-0 head to head.

Yamaguchi beat World No 21 Pornpawee Chochuwong, Thailand, in a three-game thriller 21-10, 7-21, 21-19 in 51 minutes in the quarter-finals. Yamaguchi won 49 rallies in the match to 50 by Chochuwong. She won 5 consecutive points to 10 by Chochuwong. Chowchuwong, however, still leads Yamaguchi 2-1 head to head.