No fairytale ending for M’sia
Malaysian girls team’s dream run in the ITF World Junior Team Asia-Oceania Final Qualifying (Girls) came to an end yesterday after a narrow defeat to Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals.
After making history by qualifying for the quarterfinals for the first time in the championships on Wednesday, the Malaysian girls fought gallantly but lost 1-2 in the tie played on Court 8 of the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) Tennis Centre.
Chiang Yen Ni gave Chinese Taipei the winning start when she beat Adani Raihan Muhammad Azhari 6-3, 6-1 in the first singles.
However, Zooey Mak levelled the score 1-1 for Malaysia after beating Tsui Yuen Jung 6-3, 6-4 in the second singles.
The doubles saw Chiang Yen Ni-Ko Yu Tsen beating Adani and Daania Daniella Abdul Hazli 6-3, 6-2 to deliver the winning point for Chinese Taipei.
Malaysia will now play Thailand while Kazakhstan face China in the play-offs for fifth to eighth positions.
There were no problems for the top three seeds who all advanced to the semi-finals after beating their respective opponents.
Tournament top seeds Japan eased into the last four when they blanked eighth seeds Thailand 2-0, with Yui Yamada beating Chotirin Kaewka 6-2, 6-1 and Kokona Ishii beating Paeweenon Nualsri 6-1, 6-1.
Japan’s next opponent are Chinese Taipei.
Second seeds South Korea will take on third seeds Australia in the semifinals after they edged China 2-1 and Kazakhstan 2-1 respectively.
In the play-offs for ninth to 12th placings, New Zealand will play Hong Kong while India face Nepal.
Whereas the 13th to 15th positions will involve Uzbekistan, Iran and Singapore.
Indonesia, who were beaten 30 by Hong Kong yesterday, has withdrawn from the competition after informing ITF Referee Hany El Khafief that three of their players – Assyifa Khansa Putri Raga, Callista Rosiana and Gwen Emily Kurniawan – were all injured.