Fareez exits worlds quarters, Olympics spot in jeopardy

PETALING JAYA: Para shuttler Fareez Anuar (pic) is in danger of missing out on the Paris Paralympics after bowing out of the quarter-final in the World Championships.

Fareez went down fighting 15-21, 21-17, 15-21 to Taiwan’s Fang Jen-yu in the men’s singles SU5 (upper body impairment) in Pattaya yesterday.

The world meet is the last event offering ranking points towards qualification for the Paralympics.

Fareez was hoping to reach at least the last four to book his spot in Paris but now faces a nervous wait to see if he has done enough to qualify.

The 27-year-old’s woes was compounded after his closest rival in the Race to Paris rankings – Japan’s Taiyo Imai – reached the semi-finals after stunning Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho 22-20, 18-21, 21-13 in the last eight.

Imai is currently ranked No. 7 in the Race to Paris rankings while Fareez is currently one rung above him.

Only the top six will make the cut for the Paralympics but Imai could displace Fareez if he reaches the final of the world meet.

The Japanese takes on another Indonesian and reigning Asian Games gold medallist Dheva Anrimusthi in the last four today.

Meanwhile, defending champion Cheah Liek Hou stayed on course to capture his eighth world title by making it through to the semi-final after a commanding 21-9, 21-18 win over Turkey’s Ilker Tuzcu.

Liek Hou will face Jen-yu today for a place in the final.

The 35-year-old will also be in action in the men’s doubles along with Fareez in the quarter-finals against India’s Hardik Makkar-Ruthick Ragupathi today.

Malaysians only

SECOND ROUND

Men’s singles

SL4: Mohd Amin Burhanuddin bt Shin Kyung-hwan (Kor) 21-8, 21-8

SU5: Cheah Liek Hou bt Chirag Baretha (Ind) 21-18, 21-11; Fareez Anuar bt Li Mingpan (Chn) 21-19, 21-17.

WH1: Mohd Ikhwan Ramli bt David Toupe (Fra) 21-8, 21-11.

Men’s doubles

WH1: Mohd Ikhwan Ramli-Noor Azwan Noorlan bt Takumi Matsumoto-Keita Nishimura (Jpn) 21-13, 21-15.

QUARTER-FINALSMen’s singles

SL4: Suhas Yathiraj (Ind) bt Mohd Amin Burhanuddin 21-16, 21-11.

SU5: Cheah Liek Hou bt Ilker Tuzcu (Tur) 21-9, 21-18; Fang Jen-yu (Tpe) bt Fareez Anuar 21-15, 17-21, 21-15.

Men’s doubles

WH1: Mohd Ikhwan Ramli-Noor Azwan Noorlan bt Yang Tong-Zhao Xin (Chn) 13-21, 21-18, 21-19.