Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto’s new partnership got off to a great start at their first tournament together as the Japanese veterans made the semifinals of the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2024.

Having been in successful partnerships with Sayaka Hirota and Wakana Nagahara respectively, Fukushima and Matsumoto’s pairing this week saw them beat Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan in the first round, compatriots Kaho Osawa/Mai Tanabe in the second, and Korea’s Lee Yeon Woo/Lee Yu Lim in the quarterfinals today. Facing them in the semifinals will be China Open champions Li Yi Jing/Luo Xu Min.

Naraoka Crashes Out

Second seed and home hope Kodai Naraoka was shown the door in the quarterfinals by world No.31 Leong Jun Hao.

Joining Leong in the semifinals will be compatriots Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub Azriyn/Tan Wee Kiong in men’s doubles and Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Lai Jemie in the mixed.

However, Malaysia did suffer a couple of reverses, with men’s singles No.5 seed Lee Zii Jia falling in a close match to Jonatan Christie, and Hoo Pang Ron/Cheng Su Yin unable to test new pair Dechapol Puaravanukroh/Supissara Paewsampran.

Leong faces Christie, while the top half will see Viktor Axelsen take on Li Shi Feng. Axelsen had a hard battle on his hands against Christo Popov, and eventually came through 21-18 16-21 21-18.

In women’s singles, Sim Yu Jin’s run of form continued as she overcame Michelle Li 16-21 21-9 21-16 to earn a semifinal against Gregoria Mariska Tunjung. The other semifinal pits second seed Akane Yamaguchi against Pornpawee Chochuwong.

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