Ruselli Hartawan made her first top-tier quarterfinal today, beating An Se Young in the second round of the YONEX-SUNRISE Hong Kong Open 2019.

World No.35 Hartawan, whose previous best at a Super 500 event was the second round of the Singapore Open and the Indonesia Masters, held off An in two tight games, 21-18 21-19. The Indonesian, who was promoted to the main draw due to the withdrawal of top seed Tai Tzu Ying, will next face USA’s Beiwen Zhang, who beat Cai Yan Yan 21-8 21-17.

Talking Point

“From the start I was ready for a long match, I knew what I had to do, and I applied it on court,” said Hartawan. “She has a dangerous overhead shot because the direction is unpredictable, but I was able to anticipate it.

“Right now her achievements are increasing, while mine are declining. But I try not to think about this. I did not think I could win in straight games.”

Kim/Kong Fall

The surprise in women’s doubles was the defeat of eighth seeds Kim So Yeong/Kong Hee Yong at the hands of Denmark’s Maiken Fruergaard/Sara Thygesen. The Danes saved two game points at the end of a hard-fought second game to take the match 21-13 22-20.

In men’s doubles, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik’s recent form continued to hold, as they avenged their narrow French Open loss to Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in just 33 minutes, 21-15 21-13.

They will expect a stiffer test ahead, as they face Li Jun Hui and Liu Yu Chen for a place in the semifinals.

Malaysian compatriots Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi joined them in the last eight with a 21-19 21-14 demolition job of fifth seeds Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto.

Other Results

• Kidambi Srikanth entered his first quarterfinal since the Singapore Open, beating compatriot Sourabh Verma 21-11 15-21 21-19.
• Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet gave home fans plenty to cheer about, as they made their way into the quarterfinals past sixth seeded Malaysians Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying 22-20 21-15.
• Another Malaysian pair, Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Lai Jemie, needed just 30 minutes to book their quarterfinal place, routing Kohei Gondo/Ayane Kurihara 21-14 21-8.

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