Axiata Cup: Malaysian Tigers shrug off Thai challenge to book semis spot

The Malaysian Tigers shrugged off an early Thailand challenge before comfortably booking a semi-final spot in the US$1mil Axiata Cup badminton championship.
The Tigers won 3-0 and are likely to face the Malaysian Leopards in next week’s semi-finals.
It was the second straight 3-0 win for the Tigers following their opening day win over the Philippines on Friday.
With the Tigers playing without injured world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, the Thais came into the game looking to press their advantage in the first singles.
Former world No. 4 Boonsak Ponsana raced to an 8-1 lead in the first singles against Mohd Hafiz Hashim before the 2003 All-England champion woke up from his slumber.
Hafiz then went on to take the first game 21-19 before winning the second 21-16 as the visibly tired Boonsak struggled towards the end.

“I started off slow and had to chase the game but I eventually found my range and started to play my own game,” said Hafiz.
“It was a more tiring game compared to the first day’s but I found my confidence when I took the lead.
“It wasn’t my best performance but I’m glad we managed to achieve our target of reaching the last four.”
The much-maligned pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong then sealed the tie for the Tigers despite a slow and sluggish start.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong lost the first game 25-27 before bouncing back to win the next two 21-9, 21-16 against scratch pair Maneepong Jongjit-Patiphat Chalardchalerm.
All-England quarter-finalist Liew Daren kept up his recent fine run of form by smashing Suppanyu Avihingsanon 21-14, 21-18 in the dead rubber.
“Overall, the shuttlers have done faily well in the first two days as the target was to make the last four, which we have now achieved,” said national singles coach Rashid Sidek.
“But we still want to beat Indonesia and top the group so that we can hopefully get an easier semi-final draw.
“It’s possible to beat the Indonesians because they’re not very consistent at the moment and our players just have to believe in themselves.”
A win over the second string Indonesia Rajawali today will see the Tigers topping the group.
Courtesy of The Star