Sze Fei-Izzuddin win thriller to reach Australian Open semis

PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are through to the Australian Open semi-finals after a hard-fought win over veteran Goh V Shem and his South Korean partner Choi Sol-gyu.

Sze Fei-Izzuddin were pushed hard by the 36-year-old V Shem and Sol-gyu, 30, before they prevailed 21-13, 20-22, 22-20 in a thrilling 69-minute match at the Sydney Olympic Park on Friday (Nov 21).

The world No. 4 independent pair have now reached back-to-back semi-finals after also making it into the last four in the Japan Masters in Kumamoto last week.

Sze Fei-Izzuddin will be out to go one step further when they take on Indonesia’s world No. 32 Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin next.

Rising pair Raymond-Nikolaus though, proved that they will be no pushovers after stunning another Malaysian duo, world No. 5 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, 21-15, 19-21, 21-15 in 58 minutes.