KUALA LUMPUR: It would have been the ideal Malaysia Day gift, but it wasn't meant to be for Ng Tze Yong.
The men's singles player's remarkable run at the Hong Kong Open was halted by Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Jonatan, the 2018 Asian Games champion, narrowly defeated the world No. 20 Tze Yong 21-19, 21-23, 21-13.
Nonetheless, fans at the Hong Kong Coliseum were treated to an intense battle between Tze Yong and Jonatan, akin to a final.
Jonatan, who has secured one title (Indonesia Masters) out of two finals this season, will face the winner of the semi-final between Japan's Kenta Nishimoto and Indonesia's Antony Sinisuka Ginting for the crown.
For Tze Yong, reaching the semi-finals marks a significant breakthrough, particularly considering the six quarter-finals he achieved this season.
"Today, I did my best. The defeat shows I still have a lot to improve," said Tze Yong after the match.
"I was not in a good state in the decider; that's why I lost.
"However, I am satisfied with my performance here. I will now focus on the Asian Games. I will just give my best in Hangzhou."
The Johor-born player will now return to Malaysia and join the Asian Games squad for a five-day centralised training programme before departing for Hangzhou.