KUALA LUMPUR: It has been six years since Vivian Hoo Kah Mun-Woon Khe Wei won a national title, and the Malaysian no 1 are hoping to recapture that glory after reaching the semi-finals of the National Championships in Ulu Kinta, Perak on Thursday.
In the Last Eight stage, the Malaysian women's doubles, playing together in their first tournament this year, saw off the challenge of Tan Sueh Jeou-Tee Jing Yi with a comfortable 21-12, 21-13 win.
Since winning the Indonesia GP in 2011, Vivian-Khe Wei have not had any luck in Open tournaments.
The few successes they enjoyed came through the 2013 Sea Games in Myanmar, 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Incheon Asian Games, in which they settled for the bronze.
Vivian-Khe Wei, will play their teammates Lim Chiew Sien-Teoh Mei Xing next for a place in the final. Chiew Sien-Mei Xing had upset fourth seeds Chin Kah Mun-Yap Zhen 21-13, 24-22 in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, in the men's singles, independent shuttler Misbun Ramdan Mohmed Misbun continued his fairytale run, beating BA of Malaysia's (BAM) R. Satheishtharan 21-14, 10-21, 21-19 en route to reaching the semi-finals
The son of former national men's singles coach Misbun Sidek will play another BAM shuttler, Chong Yee Han, on Friday. Yee Han was a little lucky, as his second-seeded opponent, Zulfadli Zulkiffli, retired in the second game of the quarter-finals after losing the first 21-17.
Other notable shuttlers who will feature in the Last Four stage are women's singles Ho Yen Mei, Lim Yin Fun, M. Thinaah and Yap Rui Chen.