Defending champions PJBC go down to Puchong United in Purple League
PETALING JAYA: Puchong United Badminton Club stamped their title credentials after crushing defending champions Petaling Jaya BC (PJBC) 15-3 in the SS Purple League.
Puchong, who finished runners-up to PJBC last season, were certainly out for revenge at the Sports Arena Sentosa, Jalan Kelang Lama, yesterday.
And they showed they meant business when skipper Liew Daren got the better of Goh Giap Chin with an 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7 win in the first men’s singles tie.
Japanese shuttler Aya Ohori then made it 6-1 by beating PJBC’s Supanida Katethong in the women’s singles before Lim Khim WahMak Hee Chun (men’s doubles), Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (mixed doubles) and Wei Nan (second men’s singles) completed the whitewash for Puchong.
“We were superb from start to finish and this is the benchmark for us. It is one of our best performances and we’ll strive to perform like this in our coming matches,” said Puchong team manager Irina Inozemtseva.
The huge win means Puchong are the early season pace-setters and are sitting comfortably on top of the eight-team table.
In another match, Petaling BC (PBC) held off a late charge by Serdang BC for an 11-8 win.
PBC earned their points through Kenichi Tago (first men’s singles), Hera Desi (women’s singles) and Goh V Shem-Man Wei Chong (men’s doubles) before Lu Ching-yao-Chen Hsiao-huan (mixed doubles) and Leong Jun Hao (second men’s singles) reduced the deficit for Serdang.
PBC, who are second in the table, take on league leaders Puchong tomorrow.
The top six teams in the round-robin first phase will proceed to the second phase of the league 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) at the Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands, from Feb 8-11.