Jun Hao, Jin Wei keep Malaysia flag flying
THE singles department saved Malaysia the blushes in the quarter-finals of the World Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia yesterday.
In the boys’ singles, Asian junior champion Leong Jun Hao lived up to his billing as the fourth seed when he saw off France’s Christo Popov 21-14, 2112 to reach the semi-finals.
Former world junior champion (2015) Goh Jin Wei continued her impressive run, beating Thailand’s Chananchida Jucharoen 21-12, 21-5 to book her spot in the last four.
It was, however, the end of Malaysia’s doubles challenge, as mixed doubles Ng Eng CheongToh Ee Wei and boys’ doubles Kwek Yee Jian-Man Wei Chong crashed out in the quarter-finals.
Ninth seeded Eng Cheong-Ee Wei fought hard but fell short 1821, 21-14, 21-15 to third seeds Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia, while Yee Jian-Wei Chong lost 21-15, 26-24 to fourth seeds Mahiro Kaneko-Yunosuke Kubota of Japan.
Jun Hao, who had initially targeted a podium finish, now wants to go a notch higher by reaching the final tomorrow.
“The pressure is definitely mounting. I cannot be satisfied just because I’ve reached the semi-finals. I want to see if I can go a step higher,” said Jun Hao.
The 18-year-old is Malaysia’s only hope of ending a six-year wait for the boys’ singles title but he will have to first clear Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the semi-finals.
Naraoka had earlier upset second seed Lakshya Sen of India 1421, 21-17, 21-14.
Zulfadli Zulkiffli was the last Malaysian to bag the boys’ singles crown in 2011.
Kuala Lumpur Sea Games gold medallist Jin Wei will face fifth seed Han Yue of China next for a place in the final.