Beregu campuran negara, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, mencipta sensasi melangkah ke separuh akhir Kejohanan Badminton Terbuka Indonesia 2019 selepas menumbangkan gandingan dari England, Gabrielle dan Chris Adcock, dalam suku akhir, sebentar tadi.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing mahu mengikuti jejak Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying yang terlebih dahulu mara ke separuh akhir.
Segalanya bermula dengan baik apabila mereka menampilkan aksi mantap dan menguasai gelanggang dengan baik berbanding lawan mereka itu untuk mengungguli set pertama 21-15.
Lawan mereka di ranking ke-13 itu, bagaimanapun, enggan mengalah dan bangkit memberi tentangan sengit dalam set kedua.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing seakan-akan gagal mengawal permainan dan memberi kelebihan kepada pasangan Adcock itu yang memenangi set kedua 21-14.
Permainan diheret ke set penentuan dan aksi sengit ditampilkan kedua-dua beregu yang saling mengejar mata.
Pada awalnya Gabrielle-Chris Adcock mendahului saingan, namun wakil negara bangkit untuk memintas kedudukan.
Akhirnya selepas bertarung selama sejam, Kian Meng-Pei Jing menang 21-15 untuk mengesahkan tiket ke separuh akhir.
Dalam satu lagi aksi beregu campuran, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai, gagal menurut jejak itu apabila terlebih dahulu tunduk kepada pilihan kedua kejohanan, Wang Yi Lyu-Huang Dong Ping, 21-4, 21-15.
Sementara itu, dalam aksi yang dinanti-nantikan, Anders Antonsen akhirnya menamatkan kempen sensasi perseorangan lelaki negara, Lee Zii Jia, selepas mencipta kejutan menumpaskan jaguh China, Chen Long, semalam.
Pemain muda Denmark di ranking ke-11 dunia itu mengulangi kemenangan dalam Kejohanan Indonesia Masters, Januari lalu, untuk menidakkan cabaran Zii Jia dengan kemenangan straight set 21-16, 21-11.
Penulis Jemputan
Fri Jul 19 2019


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