Chou Tien-chen advances to U.S. Open quarterfinals

Taipei, June 26 (CNA) Taiwanese badminton player Chou Tien-chen (周天成) defeated Vietnam's Nguyen Hai Dang on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the BWF Super 300 U.S. Open in straight games, 21-17, 21-17.

Facing each other for the first time in two years, Chou and Nguyen battled in a seesaw first game, with the world No. 6 Chou pulling ahead late to secure the win.

Nguyen appeared poised to even the match after taking a 14-7 lead in the second game, but Chou, the top seed in men's singles, rallied to overcome the world No. 73 to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals.

He will next play Victor Lai of Canada, who upset fifth seed Su Li-yang (蘇力揚) of Taiwan on Thursday 21-18, 21-13.

Taiwan's Liao Jhuo-fu (廖倬甫) and Kuo Kuan-lin (郭冠麟) also made it into the men's singles quarterfinals.

Liao edged out seventh-seeded Justin Hoh from Malaysia 21-15, 9-21, 21-17 in just under an hour, while Kuo came back to beat fellow Taiwanese Ting Yen-chen (丁彥宸) 13-21, 21-13, 21-15 on Thursday.

Sung Shuo-yun (宋碩芸) of Taiwan, seeded third, made it into the quarterfinals of the women's singles on Thursday, and five of the eight teams in the men's doubles semifinals and women's doubles semifinals are also from Taiwan.

BWF Super 300 events are not top tier events and are normally bypassed by the world's elite players, giving opportunities to players outside the top echelon to pick up ranking points.

(By Chen Jung-chen and Shih Hsiu-chuan)
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