* Wei Feng and Jing Yi crash out in the first round
* Both women’s doubles pairs also fail to advance to the second round
* V Shem-Wee Kiong stay alive in men’s doubles with privateers Kien Keat-Boon Heong
Chong Wei Feng’s 28th birthday celebrations were cut short when the Malaysian was blown away by South Korean veteran Lee Hyun-il 21-14, 21-9 in 36 minutes in the first round of the USD750,000 The Star Australian Open Superseries at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Center in Sydney on Wednesday.
The Malaysian No 2, ranked No 32 in the world, heralded his 28th birthday in style on Tuesday when he knocked out Japan’s Riichi Takeshita in the first round and Australia’s Michael Fariman in the second in the qualifying round to make the main draw.
Playing in his first tournament after he was axed from the World Championships in Jakarta in August to make way for Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Wei Feng no match Hyun-il and it was disatrous start to gain important points to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Women’s singles hope Tee Jing, who also had to come through the qualifying rounds to make the main draw, did not better and it was all over in 29 minutes against Japan’s Minatsu Mitani who won 21-8, 21-11.
Still there was some cheer from the men’s doubles when Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong made to the second round the hard way after three sets before prevailing 21-9, 18-21, 30-28 against Denmark’s Kim Astrup- Anders Skaruup Rasmussen after 73 minutes.
The top Malaysian pair will now face 5th seeds Hirayuki Enda-Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan who defeated Russia’s Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov 21-19, 21-8.
But it was the end of the road for another Malaysian pair Mak Hee Chun-Teo Kok Siang who gave Taiwan’s third seeds Lee Sheng-mu-Tsai Chia-hsin a tough fight before bowing out 20-22, 21-19, 8-21 in a 50-minute battle.
The Taiwanese pair will face the independent Malaysian pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong who have come together in a bid to qualify for the Rio Olympics and were playing in their first tournament after the last year’s World Championships in Copenhagen in August.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong beat Japan’s Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda 21-16, 20-22, 21-10 in 63 minutes – sending strong signals that they are still a lethal force.
Much was expected from the women’s doubles pairs but Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei and Amelia Alicia Anscelly-Soong Fie Cho fell by the wayside in their opening round matches.
Vivian-Khe Wei – Sea Games and Commonwealth Games champions – continued with their recent slump in form and lost 13-21, 17-21 to Japan’s Reika Kakiiwa-Miyuki Maeda in 47 minutes. Amelia-Fie Cho went out 13 and 17 to the Thai pair of Duanganong Aroonkesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul.
Independent women’s singles player Lyddia Cheah, who will play in the Jakarta World Championships, was no match for current world No 1 and defending champion Saina Nehwal of Indian. The second seeded Indian won 21-12, 21-10 to advance to the second round in 32 minutes.
But the shock of the day was the defeat of second seeded Lin Dan in his first round match – losing to Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen who came back from a set down to win 19-21, 21-12, 21-15 after a 73 minute battle.
RESULTS
AUSTRALIAN OPEN FIRST ROUND (Malaysians only)
Men
Singles
Lee Hyun Il (Kor) beat Chong Wei Feng (Mas) 21-14, 21-9
Doubles
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) beat Kim Astrup=Anders kaarup Rasmussen (Den) 21-9, 18-21, 30-28
Koo Kien Kiat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) beat Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda (Jpn) 21-16, 20-22, 21-10
Lee Sheng Mu-Tsau Chia Hsin (Tpe) beat Mak Hee Chun-Teo Kok Siang (Mas).22-20. 19-21, 21-8
Women
Singles
Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) beat Tee Jing Yi (Mas) 21-8, 21-11
Saina Nehwal (Ind) beat Lyddia Cheah (Mas) 21-12, 21-10
Doubles
Duanganong Aroonkesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (Tha) beat Amelia Anscelly-Soong Fie Cho (Mas) 21-13, 21-17
Reika Kakiima-Miyuki Maeda (Jpn) beat Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (Mas) 21-13, 21-17
Mixed Doubles
Shin Baek Choel-Chae Yoo Jung (Kor) beat Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) 21-14, 22-20
