Malaysia qualify for semi-final in Axiata Cup

The national badminton squad have qualified for the semi-final of the 2013 Axiata Cup Badminton Championship after securing four full points in their game against Vietnam at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium in Cheras, here, today.

Malaysia have now collected 18 points in the championship.

National singles chief coach Rashid Sidek said he wanted to avoid meeting Indonesia as the team had better potential than the national squad.

"The national squad will try its best in the match tomorrow against Asia and I hope they will collect full points in the game and be in the second position in the championship which is very slim," he said, expecting the singles category to have a slim chance of winning.

In the game today, Malaysia had a shaky start but managed to gain the first point after national women's singles player Sonia Cheah who was stretched to the rubber set by Vu Thi Trang, won 21-11, 18-21 and 21-11.

"I lost in the second set because I kept thinking about how I could get the points...overall I am satisfied with my achievement today," she said after the match.

World number 16th, Chong Wei Feng defeated Nguyen HN 21-16 and 21-13.

National mixed doubles, Tan Boon Heong and Lim Yin Loo clinched the third point when they beat Duong Bao Duc and Thai Thi Hong Gan in three sets, 22-20, 17-21 and 21-7.

Malaysia collected the full point when the country's seventh doubles pair of Tan Wee Keong and Hoon Thien How steamrolled Vietnam's Huynh NK and Bao Minh 21-7 and 21-12.

The national squad will be in action against Asia tomorrow in the championship, which offers a total of US$1,000,000 (RM3.111 million) in prize money.