Only two pairs left standing
was a sad day for local badminton as Malaysia were reduced to only two mixed doubles pairs after the second round of the Malaysia Open yesterday.
The country’s hopes for any sort of success now rest on the shoulders of Chan Peng SoonGoh Liu Ying and Tan Kian MengLai Pei Jing after the others, including four men’s doubles crumbled like a house of cards.
World No 5 Peng Soon-Liu Ying, cruised past Indonesia’s Ricky Karandasuwardi-Pia Zebadiah Bernadet while Kian Meng-Pei Jing turned their fortunes around when they clawed back from a game down to see off India’s Pranaav Jerry Chopra-N. Sikki Reddy 15-21, 21-17, 21-13.
Both pairs, however, are in for a tough last eight today as Peng Soon-Liu Ying are up against second seeds Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping of China, while Kian Meng-Pei Jing take on Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad-Winny Oktavina Kandow.
It was also unfortunate for World No 9, Goh Soon HuatShevon Lai, who were forced to concede a walkover, after Soon Huat fell ill in the morning.
The biggest disappointment, however, was in the men’s doubles, as all four pairs looked poor from all aspects.
Rio Olympic Games silver medallists Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, were not up to the mark, as they went down 10-21, 21-13, 219, to Japan’s Takeshi KamuraKeigo Sonoda.
All England finalists, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were also no match for Japan’s No 4, Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, who outclassed the Malaysians 21-9, 21-16.
“One word to describe our performance today is ‘bad’. We were trailing them in the first game and our confidence took a hit.
“Our combination was not smooth at all,” conceded Aaron
National No 2 Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi were no better as they too went down 21-17, 21-19 to China’s Han Chengkai-Zhou Haodong, while independent shuttlers Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan Shen stood no chance against twotime world champions, Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia, who romped to a 21-18, 21-12 win.
There was also no fireworks in the women’s singles, as two-time world junior champion Goh Jin Wei lost 21-16, 12-21, 21-10 to Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong.