KUALA LUMPUR: Seven years after clinching his one and only Super Series title in Paris, Liew Daren keeps telling himself he can do it again.
And it's that burning desire that saw the 32-year-old independent shuttler upset World No 2 Shi Yuqi of China to reach the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters today.
The 2012 French Open champion said he has never stopped believing in himself or he would have called it quits a long time ago.
Instead, the Malaysian No 1 is looking to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games next year.
“All these years I've never stopped believing in myself or else I wouldn't be playing today,” said Daren, who chalked up an impressive 21-12, 16-21, 21-11 win over Yuqi, the 2018 BWF World Tour Finals champion.
“People may have stopped believing in me but I can never do that,” added Daren, who will take on fourth seed, Son Wan Ho of South Korea tomorrow.
On his upcoming match and chances of winning his first title this season, Daren said: “I don't want to think that far because every other opponent after this is going to be tough. I'll take things one match at a time.
“As for Wan Ho, I defeated him here in this tournament last year. If I can play the way I did today, I may just have a chance of reaching the final.”
In the women's singles, Goh Jin Wei continued to upset her more fancied opponents to reach the last four at the Axiata Arena.
Claiming to have matured since winning the Youth Olympic Games (in Argentina) and World Junior Championships (in Canada) last year, the 19-year-old this time beat world No 7, He Bingjiao of China 21-15, 21-16 to set up a mouthwatering last four clash with former world champion, Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand.
In an all Malaysian mixed doubles quarter-final clash, independent duo, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying edged their former teammates Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai 22-20, 22-20 to reach the last four.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying, fresh from winning the Thailand Masters title last week, will play top seeds Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan, next.
“It's going to be another psychological war, because their (Watanabe-Higashino) coach (Jeremy Gan) was our coach before. We will give our best," said Liu Ying.
In the men's doubles, Malaysia are already secured of a finalists after both national pairs, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi reached the semi-finals to square off against each other.
World Championships quarter-finalists, Aaron-Wooi Yik upset fourth seeds, Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark, 21-17, 21-19, while national No 2, Yew Sin-Ee Yi reached their maiden top tier semi-finals, when they stunned world No 3, Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda of Japan 21-19, 21-16.
Also reaching the last four on Friday were former World No 1, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, who upset third seeds, Hiroyuki Endo-Watanabe of Japan, 22-20, 21-15.
V Shem-Wee Kiong, who quit the BA of Malaysia (BAM) last year, will take on World No 1 Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia, next.