Thailand will have a pair each in the mixed doubles finals in both the Badminton Asian Under-17 & Under-15 Junior Championships on a day when Malaysian pairs lost both their semi-final matches on Saturday.
The Thais Under-17 pair of Sirawit Sothon-Pornnich Suwatnodom was the first to bring cheer to the Thai supporters when edged past the Korean pair of Jin Yong-Kim Na-keon in 31 minutes.
The third-seeded Thais will play Hong Kong China's fourth seeds Ko Shing Hei-Lui Lok Lok who had a much easier match against Malaysian giant killers Wan Muhammad Arif Shaharu Wan Mohd Junaidi-Valeree Zi Xuan.
Shing Hei-Lok Lok needed only 22 minutes to romp past the Malaysians in their 21-11, 21-10 win.
The unseeded Malaysians were a pale shadow of their giant-killing feat in the quarter-finals on Friday night when they knocked out hot favorites and top seeds Wu Guan Xun-Wang Szu Min of Chinese Taipei in straight games 21-12, 23-21.
In the Under-15 semi-finals, another Thai pair Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul-Sirinad Pirabran stopped another Malaysian pair Choi Jian Sheng-Tai Jo Yi in three games 21-16, 16-21, 21-14 in 42 minutes.
In the final, the Thais will play Indonesia's of Muh Putra Erwiansyah-Febi Setianingrum. The unseeded Indonesians upset Hong Kong China's third seeds Jason Gunawan-Chan Wing Lam 21-12, 21-9.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS (MIXED DOUBLES)
Under-17
Ko Shing Hei-Lui Lok Lok (HKG) beat Wan Muhammad Arif Shaharu Wan Mohd Junaidi-Valeree Siow (MAS) 21-11, 21-10
Sirawat Sothon-Pornnicha Suwatnodom (THA) beat Jin Yong-Kim Na-yeon (KOR) 21-18, 21-18
Under-15
Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul-Sirinad Pirabran (THA) beat Choi Jian Sheng-Tai Jo Yi (MAS) 21-16, 16-21, 21-14
Muh Putra Erwiansyah-Febi Setianingrum (INA) beat Jason Gunawan-Chan Wing Lam (HKG) 21-12, 21-9
