Kian Meng and Pei Jing stun Japan’s top pair in Singapore Open.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing lead two other pairs into round two
PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing pulled off another upset to defeat Japan’s top pair Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino for the second time in as many weeks.
The unseeded pair forced their way back from a game down to beat the world No. 3 and All-England finalists 16-21, 21-18, 21-15 in the first round of the Singapore Open yesterday.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing, ranked 26th in the world, held a 13-7 lead in the rubber and kept a cool head to clinch victory in 66 minutes.
They also beat them in the first round of the Malaysian Open last week.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing are certainly playing with more confidence after first round exits in the Malaysian and Indonesian Masters as well as at the German Open and the AllEngland earlier this year.
The pair will take on another Japanese pair Kohei Gondo-Ayane Kurihara for a place in the last eight today and a win will likely pit them against Indonesians Ricky Karandasuwardi-Pia Zebadiah Bernadet.
National No. 1 Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are also through to the second round of the mixed doubles.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying, ranked fifth in the world, beat Singapore’s Terry Hee-Crystal Wong 21-18, 22-20 while world No. 8 Soon Huat-Shevon overcame Indonesians Alfian Eko Prasetya-Marsheilla Gischa Islam 21-18, 21-16.
National No. 1 men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia put the disappointment of a firstround exit in the Malaysian Open behind him when he sent South Korean veteran Lee Hyun-il packing winning 21-19, 21-16 in 41 minutes.
Zii Jia is the sole Malaysian left in the men’s singles as Liew Daren lost 21-19, 18-21, 20-22 to Kenta Nishimoto of Japan.
Qualifiers Low Juan Shen-Chooi Kah Ming joined Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik as the men’s doubles pairs advance to the second round with a 8-21, 21-16, 21-18 win over compatriots Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
It will be tough for Juan Shen-Kah Ming to reach the quarter-finals as they are up against eighth seeds Fajar Alfian-Muhd Rian Ardianto of Indonesia.
All-England finalists Aaron-Wooi Yik face second seeds Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen of China while V Shem-Wee Kiong have the easier challenge, playing unheralded Thais Tinn Isriyanet-Kittisak Namdash.
Malaysian Open champion Lin Dan’s hopes of a back-to-back win were dashed after he exited in the first round.
The five-time world champion was trailing Dane Viktor Axelsen at 13-20 when he retired due to injury.