FOR mixed doubles Goh Liu Ying and Chan Peng Soon, it is one Japanese storm after another.
After a hard-fought 17-21, 21-13, 21-14 win over Takuro Hoki-Wakana Nagahara in the third round yesterday, the Malaysian duo will face Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino in the World Badminton Championship quarter-finals in Basel, Switzerland today.
Liu Ying admitted she and Peng Soon had a hard time against Takuro-Wakana in a 63-minute battle.
Takuro-Wakana had earlier eliminated Malaysia’s World No 11, Soon Huat-Shevon Lai in the second round.
“We didn’t play well against Takuro-Wakana. The quarter-finals (against Yuta-Arisa) will be even harder,” she said.
“What I can see is that the Japan pair look really strong. But I think we also have equal chances.”
Psychologically, Peng Soon-Liu Ying, who are the Olympic silver medallists, should not feel inferior. For in their last six meetings against Yuta-Arisa, the Malaysian pair have won four times.
The last time the two pairs met was at the recent Japan Open which saw Peng Soon-Liu Ying winning in straight sets.