Liew Daren will have ambitions to upset another Danish player after a convincing 21-17, 21-18 victory over H. S. Prannoy set him up with a big quarter-final showdown against last week’s champion Viktor Axelsen.
Liew had only beaten Axelsen once in his career, which was nine years ago in the French Open final to win his only major title.
But after beating world number three Anders Antonsen last week and now Prannoy, the Malaysian should be quietly confident of staging an upset against the reigning All-England champ.
“It will be tough against Viktor. You can see from last week he is playing well, but I will give my best,” said Liew after his win over Prannoy.
Most of the Malaysian cast booked their last eight berth on Thursday, with two pairs guaranteed a place in the semis.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi all advanced after convincing victories in their third game.
Ong-Teo play India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, while last week’s beaten finalist Goh-Tan face national compatriots Chia-Soh.
The higher ranked Chia-Soh should be looking to avenge their loss to the independent pair, especially after a confident 21-12, 6-21, 21-12 win against promising Indonesian pair Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin.
In the mixed doubles event, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying face Satwiksairaj-Ashwini Ponnappa next after overcoming Indonesian pair Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Crhystine Bandaso 21-18, 21-15.
Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See were also through, taking on sixth seeds Hafiz Faizal-Gloria Emmanuelle Widjaja next.
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai lost for the second time in a week to Thai top seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai 12-21, 19-21.
In the women’s doubles, Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen play third seeds Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan in the last eight after they beat Emilie Lefel-Anne Tran 19-21, 21-17, 21-12.
Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean also progressed after overcoming Aussies Setyana Mapasa-Gronya Sommerville 21-17, 21-15, setting up a meeting with team-mates Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah, who fought off feisty French pair Vimala Heriau-Margot Lambert 19-21, 21-16, 21-9.
