Chong Yan Cheng and Mohamad Najib Haqimi Mohamad Osman from Sarawak lived up to their top billings when they made the quarterfinals of the Boys’ Doubles Under-16 Group C AFFIN-100PLUS Junior Elite Tour (1st leg) 2025 with ease.
The pair of 15-year-olds, who have been consistent performers over the last year, showed their tenacity to wrap up their first match of the tournament at the Educity Sports Complex in Johor, in slightly over half an hour.
After receiving a Bye in the Round of 32 of the Boys’ Doubles, their opponents in the Round of 16 were Southerners Royce Yap Hong Xun and Yew Jun Cheng.
But Yan Cheng-Mohamad Najib were just too nimble to wrap up the game in two sets 21-15, 21-16.
Their opponents tomorrow in the quarterfinals will be Lucas Yeo Zhou Jin-Teoh Chong Yee from Pahang.
Lucas and Teoh Chong made a strong start to their campaign this year with a straightforward 21-15, 21-8 victory over Boo Jia Cheng-Elson Saw Hean Hang from Negeri Sembilan.
Over in Group B of the Junior Elite Tour, Lee Kai Xun and Ng Chia Chen from Kedah did not struggle too much against V. Harriewinntheren-Kenjo Lim from Putrajaya to book their place in the semifinals tomorrow.
In the quarterfinals played this afternoon at the Perak Badminton Academy in Ipoh, Kai Xun-Chia Chen took just 32 minutes to finish off the challenge of Harriewinntheren-Kenjo 21-19, 22-20.
In tomorrow’s semifinals, Kai Xun-Chia Chen will face Thaqif Ahnaf Rosdi-Zayden Lee from Terengganu following the latter’s curt 21-17, 21-11 win over Perak’s Muhammad Qaliff Farish Abdul Hafiz-Muhammad Shakir Zufayri Mohd Faizul.
In Group A at the Dewan Gan Hong Hoe in Melaka, homeboys Ahmad Qaid Darwisy Ahmad Fuad-Syed Harraz Syed Muzir were in smashing form in the quarterfinals as they dismantled V. Preman-S. Suresh from Selangor in just 23 minutes.
Ahmad Qaid-Syed Harraz walked away 21-8, 21-11 winners as they look to play Victor Yap Ha How-Marcus Khoo Vun Kiong from Sabah tomorrow in the semifinals.
Victor-Marcus snuffed out the challenge of Kuala Lumpur’s H’ng Tze Hoong-Kean Meng Yap 21-8, 21-10.
