Malaysia’s mixed doubles pairs Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing suffered embarrassing first-round defeats in the USD400,000 Korea Open at Incheon Airport Skydome on Tuesday.
Fifth seeds Peng Soon-Liu Ying crashed to a 12-21, 10-21 defeat in only 33 minutes to Thailand’s Nipitphon Phuangphuapet-Savitree Amitrapai while Kian Meng-Pei Jing stayed longer before bowing out to China’s Lu Kai-Chen Lu 21-12, 19-21, 13-21 in 61 minutes.
Malaysia had withdrawn another mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie from the tournament although the pair reached the quarter-finals in the China Open in Changzhou last week.
Meanwhile, in the men’s singles, Soo Tekj Zhi failed to make the main draw when he lost 18-21, 21-18, 18-21 to Lin Yu Hsien of Chinese Taipei in the first round in the qualifying round which lasted a good 73 minutes.
Malaysia’s top men’s shuttler Lee Zii Jia goes into the fray on Wednesday with a first-round match against Thailand’s Suppanyu Avinhingsanon while professional Lew Daren, who was promoted to the main draw will take on former Chinese legend Lin Dan.
In the men’s doubles, Malaysia will have a pair in the second round when Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi take on professional Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, winners of the Chinese Taipei Open two weeks ago.
Top doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik face a daunting first-round match against newly crowned China Open champions – top seeds and world No 1 Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.
In the women’s singles, Soniia Cheah is up against Indonesia’s rising star Gregoria Mariska in the first round. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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