PJBC get off to good start in SS Purple League

PETALING JAYA: Defending SS Purple League champions Petaling Jaya Badminton Club (PJBC) picked up where they left off by beating Serdang Badminton Club 11-8 in the opening match of the fourth season.

Former national shuttler Goh Giap Chin got the ball rolling for PJBC when he downed Serdang’s Chinese import Yu Chen 11-10, 4-11, 11-9, 11-1 for a 3-1 advantage at the Sports Arena Sentosa, Jalan Kelang Lama yesterday.

Serdang wrested the lead when Lee Ying Ying defeated Lee Zii Yii in the women’s singles.

After that, PJBC went 6-5 up with Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan Shen beating Pei Tianyi-Tan Jinn Hwa 6-11, 11-6, 11-10, 11-7 in the men’s doubles.

Serdang levelled the score at 8-8 after Taiwanese mixed doubles pair of Lu Ching-yao-Chen Hsiaohuan defeated K. YogendranPrajakta Sawant in five games.

Hong Kong’s world No. 42 Lee Cheuk Yiu claimed the win for PJBC after thumping national No. 2 Lee Zii Jia 11-6, 11-2, 11-10 in the second men’s singles tie.

The top six teams from the round-robin first phase will proceed to the second phase where they will be divided into two groups.

The total points from the first and second phases will then determine the final standings and seedings of the six teams for the Grand Finals (phase three) which will be held at the Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands from Feb 8-11.

PJBC will take on Puchong United Badminton Club, in a repeat of last year’s final, on Thursday.