The female pairings from Myanmar and Japan qualified for the last four from group Y, Myanmar won all three matches including a success over pool runners-up Japan in their last qualification match.
Myanmar will meet China in Wednesday's semifinal, while Japan will have to contend with Vietnam, who won the sepaktakraw team event, and look to be the favourites for the doubles after their shock victory over Thailand. Regu gold winners Thailand looked on course when they took the opening set against Vietnam but the pairing of Luu Thi Thanh and Nguyen Hai Thao turned the match around to run out eventual winners 17-21, 21-16, 15-13 in arguably the best match of the doubles so far.
Thailand's men had no such problems as has been the case through most of Doha 2006.
The team and regu champions moved one step closer to a hat-trick as they qualified for the men's doubles last four as the winners of group B with Malaysia.
Malaysia got through by the skin of their teeth. They won a terrific three set tussle with Korea and saw off Philippines in straight sets to make up for a shaky opening to their qualification on Monday. Philippines and Korea both missed out on making the semifinals.
Thailand will come face to face with group A runners-up Indonesia in the semifinal, while group A winners Myanmar meet Malaysia.
Indonesia's team manager Muhammad Amkar was realistic about his team's chances against the infallible Thais. "Thailand are very strong, I think we will lose. But maybe we can win."Â
Myanmar are still searching for their first gold of the games. Maybe the sepaktakraw double act of Zaw Latt and Lin Si Thu can give the people of Myanmar someone to admire. Latt and Lin enjoyed straight sets wins over Indonesia and IR Iran on Tuesday.
The men's doubles semifinals follow the women's at the Al-Sadd Indoor Hall on Wednesday 13 December. Both finals will be played out at the same venue in the evening with the women's first on court at 16:00.
15th Asian Games, Doha 2006
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