It was two different situations for Malaysia's 13-year-old Muhammad Fazriq Mohamad Razif Sidek in the Under-15 semi-finals in the Badminton Asia Under-17 & Under-15 Junior Championships in Yangon, Myanmar on Saturday.
Playing in his first international tournament the 'baby' of the Malaysian team cried when he lost a three-game battle in the singles – going down 10-21, 21-8, 14-21 in 50 minutes to Japan's fifth seed Riki Takei.
There were consoling words and encouragement from coach Hazwan Jamaluddin but Fazriq sobbed uncontrollably. Hazwan said Fazriq's "inconsistency" in his game cost him a place the final.
"He just could not get that 'extra' in his game when it mattered most. Fazriq also paid a heavy price for his eagerness to win," said Hazwan.
However, four hours later, Fazriq was all smiles when he partnered Ong Zhen Yi for a place in the final. The Malaysian pair packed off India's Ayush Raj Gupta-Shubham Patel 21-19, 21-17.
With the bronze already assured in the singles (losing semi-finalists get the bronze), Fazriq-Zhen Yi are hoping for a golden end at the Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium in finals on Sunday.
"I am glad to be in the final. It makes up for the disappointment in the singles. There is still hope to take home the gold medal (in the doubles) in my debut," said Fazriq who could now afford to smile.
Meanwhile it was plain sailing for defending champions Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand his compatriot Patarasuda Chaiwan in the Boys' Under-17 and Girls' Under-17 respectively as the two eased into the final.
Top seed Kunlavut powered his way into the final with a 21-11, 21-7 win over Hong Kong's third seed Ko Shing Hei and will play Malaysia's Ooi Jhy Dar for the title. Jhy Dar overcame compatriot Jacky Kok Jing Hong 21-14, 28-26.
Pattarasuda showed that she is in no mood to surrender her title as she ripped apart Indonesian fifth seed Alifia Intan Norrohkhim 21-8, 21-19. In the final she face Japan's Riko Gunji who upset third seed Hung En-Tzu of Chinese Taipei in three games 21-13, 19-21, 21-13.
In the boys' Under-15 final Thai third seed Puritat Arree will meet Japan's Riki Takei.
SEMI-FINALS
UNDER-17
MEN
Singles
Ooi Jhy Dar (MAS) beat Jacky Kok Jing Hong (MAS) 21-14, 28-26
Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA) beat Ko Shing Mei (HKG) 21-11, 21-7
Doubles
Cheng Kai Wen-Chiu Yuh Hong (TPE) beat Lee Shun Yang-Yap Roy King (MAS) 15-21, 21-17, 21-18
Jacky Kok Jing Hong-Oooi Jhy Dar (MAS) beat Muhammad Yusuf Maulana-Yonathan Ramlie (INA) 21-16, 24-22
WOMEN
Singles
Patarasuda Chaiwan (THA) beat Alifia Intan Nurrohkhim (INA) 21-8, 21-9
Riko Gunji (JPN) beat Hung En-Tzu (TPE) 21-13, 19-21, 21-13
Doubles
Kelly Larissa-Shelandry Vyola (INA) beat Keyura Mopayi-Kavipriya Selvam (IND) 21-13, 21-19
Putri Larasati-Melani Mamahit (INA) beat Miki Kanehiro-Komi Kushima (JPN) 21-13, 21-15
Mixed Doubles
Leo Rolly Carnando-Metya Inayah Cindiani (INA) beat Lui Chun Wai-Leung Sze Lok (HKG) 22-20, 21-10
Ko Shing Hei-Yeung Pui Lam (HKG) beat Yap Roy King-Gan Jing Err (MAS) 21-10, 22-20
UNDER 15
MEN
Singles
Riki Takei (JPN) beat Muhammad Fazriq Mohamad Razif (MAS) 21-10, 8-21, 21-14
Puritat Arree (THA) beat Mawardi Putra Damas (INA) 24-22, 21-15
Doubles
Muhammad Fazriq Mohamad Razif-Ong Zhen Yi (MAS) beat Ayush Raj Gupta-Shubham Patel (IND) 21-19, 21-17
Lin Hao-chi-Wen Sheng Hao (TPE) beat Muh Putra Erwiansyah-Carlo Syah Gumilar (INA) 21-16, 21-19
WOMEN
Singles
Samiya Imad Farooqui (IND) beat Aashi Rawat (IND) 21-9, 21-18
Stephani Widjaja (INA) beat Pornpicha Choeikeewong (THA) 21-19, 21-9
Doubles
Kittaporn Jiantanet-Sasikarn Piyawatcharavijit (THA) beat Nana Hisaminato-Kaoru Sugiyama (JPN) 23-21, 21-16
Pornpicha Choeikeewong-Pornnicha Suwatanodom (THA) beat Lam My Tien-Nguyen Le Khanh (VIE) 21-13, 21-13
Mixed doubles
Muhammad Ridwanul Arifin-Fadillah Nur Hidayah (NA) beat Daryl Foo-Hoe Shi Yun (MAS) 26-24, 21-15
Wisa Srisuriya-Pornnicha Suwatanodom (THA) beat Anson Cheong-Wong Ling Ching (MAS) 15-21, 21-16, 21-15
