Shuttlers Zulfadli and Wei Keat on course to being world junior champs

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttlers Zulfadli Zulkifli and Nelson Heg Wei Keat are another step closer to realising their dreams of being history-makers when they checked into the semi-finals of the World Junior Championships in Taipei yesterday.

Zulfadli had to switch his style of play after a disastrous start to beat Indonesia’s Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo 10-21, 21-10, 21-16 in a 43-minute quarter-final match.

The 18-year-old Zulfadli will take on Japan’s Kento Momota today to justify his top billing.

KLRC’s Zulfadli created a first for Malaysia when he nailed the Asian junior title in April. Now, hopes are high on him to be crowned the country’s first world junior champion.

Zulfadli(pic) and Wei Keat on course to being world junior champs.

Zulfadli, however, does not want to think too far ahead. He’d rather focus on Kento, a player he has beaten twice this year – in the semi-final of the Asian junior meet and in the fourth round of last year’s world meet in Mexico. Both matches, however, went down to the wire.

“The match with Kento will be tight. He is a fighter and I can’t afford take it easy against him,” Zulfadli said in a telephone interview.

The other semi-final will see defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark taking on India’s Sameer Verma.

Like Zulfadli, the bubbly Wei Keat also has a good chance to make history by becoming the only player to win two titles in a single world junior tournament.

Wei Keat muscled his way into two semi-finals within four hours yesterday.

First, he partnered Teo Ee Yi to outplay Lukhi Apri Nugroho-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia 21-17, 21-19 in the boys’ doubles. They will take on Taiwan’s Tien Tzu-chieh-Wang Chih-hao for a place in the final.

Theh, Wei Keat combined with Chow Mei Kuan to knock out Denmark’s Kasper Antonsen-Line Kjaersfeldt 21-18, 21-17 in the mixed doubles event.

They now face a tricky match against Indonesians Ronald Alexander-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia.

Quarter-finals results

Boys’ singles: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Khosit Phetpradab (Tha) 21-7, 21-18; Sameer Verma (Ina) bt Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 21-15, 21-16; Kento Momota (Jpn) bt Shesar Hiren Rhustavito (Ina) 16-21, 21-15, 21-15; Zulfadli Zulkifli (Mas) bt Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo (Ina) 10-21, 21-10, 21-16.

Boys’ doubles: Huang Po-jui-Lin Chia-yu (Tpe) bt Takuto Inoue-Yuki Kanebo (Jpn) 21-15, 21-18; Tien Tzu-chieh-Wang Chih-hao (Tpe) bt Lucas Corvee-Joris Grosjean (Fra) 21-15, 21-16; Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Teo Ee Yi (Mas) bt Lukhi Apri Nugroho-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Ina) 21-17, 21-19; Ronald Alexander-Selvanus Geh (Ina) bt Lee Chun Hei-Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 21-11, 17-21, 21-19.

Girls’ singles: Caralina Marin (Spa) bt Romina Gabdullina (Rus) 21-14, 21-17; Inthanon Ratchanok (Tha) bt Christin Tsai (Can) 21-10, 21-15; Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt Sonia Cheah (Mas) 21-19, 24-22; Elyzabeth Purwaningyas (Ina) bt Yuki Fukushima (Jpn) 22-20, 10-21, 21-19.

Girls’ doubles: Shella Devi Aulia-Anggia Shitta Awanda (Ina) bt Chae Yoo-jung-Kim Chan-mi (Kor) 16-21, 21-18, 21-14; Han So-yean-Min Kim-hyo (Kor) bt Pacharakamol Arkorn-Kititharakul Chonthicha (Tha) 21-18, 21-12; Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) bt Sonia Cheah-Yang Li Lian (Mas) 21-14, 21-12; Andini Suci Rizky-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia (Ina) bt Yuki Fukushima-Naru Shinoya (Jpn) 21-14, 21-17.

Mixed doubles: Alfian Eko Prasetya-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (Ina) bt Lee Hong-je-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) 16-21, 21-16, 21-19; Ronald Alexander-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia (Ina) bt Wannawat Ampunsuwan-Kititharakul Chonthicha (Tha) 21-15, 21-16; Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Chow Mei Kuan (Mas) bt Kasper Antonsen-Line Kjaersfeldt (Den) 21-18, 21-17; Choi Sol-kyu-Chae Yoo-jung (Kor) bt Lee Chun Hei-Cheung Ngan Yi (Hkg) 21-15, 21-10.