V Shem, Khim Wah keep Malaysian hopes alive in India Open 2012 – Badminton News
Men’s Doubles campaigners Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah gave Malaysia something to cheer in Yonex Sunrise India Open after making into semi-finals of the event on April 27, 2012.
The back-up team performed beyond expectations and kept nation’s hopes alive as the top pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong could not raise country’s flag in the event.
In quarter-final tussle, World Number 30 duo V Shem-Khim Wah stamped Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov with concluding margin of 21-17, 16-21 and 21-10 after fruitful exercise of 39 minutes.
The opening game set the overall aggressive tone of the match as both teams snapped at each other’s heels to gain an immediate advantage.
They remained close at start of game but Kien Keat-Khim Wah managed to end first half with 11-9 total.
After the interval, twosome of Vladimir and Ivan Sozonov accelerated their pace and caught the leading team at 13-13. Both teams remained toe-to-toe until 16 points but then the Malaysian couple made difference with some powerful rallies and clinched first
match point with 21-17.
However, the Russians stormed back in following game and successfully avoided a straight-set defeat. They pushed their rivals in all areas of court and controlled pace of the rallies throughout the second set.
World Number 22 duo Vladimir-Ivan launched a brisk attack and cornered the opposing team with an immediate four-point lead. They ended first half of the set with 11-7 margin and put their challengers under great pressure.
In later part of game, they took their total to 16 with five consecutive points and this proved final blow for their opponents as they never came out of this deficit and surrendered after reading 21-16 score on the board.
However, the story was completely changed in third set as the Malaysians utilised their confidence which they earned by winning against top pairs of the world in previous rounds and outclassed the Russians in all areas of the game.
The partnership of V Shem and Khim Wah was at its best as they established an unassailable lead of 10 points in first half which helped them to seal the victory with a commendable total of 21-10.
The victorious duo will now try to repeat the show against tough Korean contenders Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong in the semi-final match.
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