Malaysia smothered Germany with a 5-0 scoreline and threw German arrogance out of the window to march into the quarter-finals from Group 1C in the Sudirman Cup in Gold Coast, Australia on Tuesday.
The Malaysians will face Japan in their final group match on Wednesday to decide the group champions. Japan had beaten Germany 4-1 in their opening match on Sunday.
With Tuesday’s whitewash Malaysia gained revenge over the Germans who had knocked Malaysia out of contention from the competition in the 2013 edition of the mixed team championships held in Kuala Lumpur. With the defeat Malaysia failed to get past the group.
Malaysia were never troubled by the Germans on Tuesday although their number one men’s singles player Marc Zwiebler had arrogantly predicted that his team has the depth to beat Malaysia again after he won Germany’s solitary point against Japan after defeating Kenta Nishimoto 21-8, 21-18.
However, in a surprise move Germany did not play Zwiebler. Instead the Germans played Fabian Froth for the singles match against world No 1 Lee Chong Wei. Chong Wei made mince meat of his young German opponent with a 21-12, 21-11 win in 34 minutes for Malaysia’s second point.
Malaysia went 1-0 up in the opening tie when Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing outplayed Mark Lamsfuss-Isabel Herttrich in the mixed doubles in 42 minutes – the only match that went beyond 40 minutes.
Former world number one Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong clinched Malaysia’s third point in the men’s doubles. The Malaysians, with Wee Kiong celebrating his 28th birthday on Sunday, romped to a 21-16, 21-19 win over Jones Ralfy Jansen-Josche Zurwonne after checking some resistance from the Germans in the second set.
Former world junior champion and Malaysia’s number one woman shuttler Goh Jin Wei took the initiative from her senior teammates to outclass Fabienne Deprez 21-10, 21-15 in 31 minutes in the women’s singles for a memorable debut in the Sudirman Cup.
Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei wrapped up the tie for Malaysia with a 21-12, 21-11 victory over Johanna Goliszewski-Isabel Herttrich in the women’s doubles.
SUDIRMAN CUP
RESULTS (GROUP 1C)
MALAYSIA 5 GERMANY 0
XD: Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing beat Mark Lamsfuss-Isabel Herttrich 21-17, 21-13
MS: Lee Chong Wei beat Fabian Roth 21-12, 21-11
MD: Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong beat Jones Ralfy Jansen-Josche Zurwonne 21-16, 21-19
WS: Goh Jin Wei beat Fabienne Deprez 21-10, 21-13
WD: Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei beat Johanna Goliszewski-Isabel Herttrich 21-12, 21-11
– BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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