KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champion Anders Antonsen took a step closer to keeping his title by moving into the Malaysia Open semi-finals today.
The Danish world No. 2 swept aside Thailand's world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-15, 21-13 in the quarter-finals at the Axiata Arena, and will meet
Japan's world No. 8 Kodai Naraoka next.
Antonsen, who extended his head-to-head record against Kunlavut to 6-1, said that he didn't expect an easy win.
"I'd never expected that against a player like Kunlavut. He's a very, very strong player and I know that he's always good in these big events. I have utmost respect for him going into this match, and I think that was very important," said Antonsen.
On his semi-final clash against Naraoka, the Dane said:
"Kodai is always a difficult player, he's different and I'm looking forward to a good test."
Natraoka defeated Angus Ng of Hong Kong 21-18, 21-15 in the last eight today.
Quarter-final results
*Malaysians unless stated
Men's singles: Li Shi Feng (Chn) bt Chi Yu Jen (Tai) 14-21, 21-13, 21-7; Shi Yu Qi (Chn) bt Chou Tien Chen (Tai) 21-16, 19-21, 21-17; Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) bt Angus Ng (HK) 21-18, 21-15; Anders Antonsen (Den) bt Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) 21-14, 21-13.
Doubles: Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae (Kor) bt Lee Fang Chih-Lee Fang Jen (Tai) 21-11, 21-7; Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi (Chn) bt Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) 21-17, 21-17; Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Christo Popov-Thoma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-15, 21-11; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty (Ind) bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 26-24, 21-15.
Women's singles: An Se Young (Kor) bt Zhang Beiwen (US) 21-11, rtd; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Putri Kusuma Wardani (Ina) 21-13, 15-21, 21-16; Wang Zhi Yi (Chn) bt Yeo Jia Min (Sin) 22-20, 21-16; Pornpicha Choeikeewong (Tha) bt Han Yue (Chn) 18-21, 21-13, 21-19.
Doubles: Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto (Jpn) bt Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee (Kor) 21-14, 21-18; Misaki Matsutomo-Chiharu Shida (Jpn) bt Li Yi Jing-Luo Xu Min (Chn) 21-16, 21-16; Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian (Chn) bt Lanny Tria Mayasari-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti (Ina) 21-12, 21-11; Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Hsieh Pei Shan-Hung En Tzu (Tai) 21-11, 21-8.
Mixed doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran (Tha) bt Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue (Fra) 21-12, 14-21, 21-7; Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai bt Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) 21-15, 22-20; Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping (Chn) bt Yang Po Hsuan-Hu Ling Fang (Tai) 21-19, 21-14; Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito (Jpn) 21-11, 21-18.