As expected the experience of Goh v Shem-Tan Wee Kion stood out as the former World No 1 smashed their way into the third round in the World Championships in Basel, Switzerland.
The Rio Olympics silver medallists seeded 14, outplayed Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 21-13, 21-18 in an all-Malaysian second-round tie early Thursday morning Malaysian time. V Shem-Wee Kiong had drawn a bye in the first round.
For a place in the quarter-finals, 14th ranked V Shem-Wee Kiong will have to clear an Indonesian hurdle – Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto. The seventh-seeded Indonesians eliminated England’s Marcus Ellis-Chris Langridge 14-21, 21-18, 21-14 in a 70-minute battle.
All-England runners-up Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, ranked No 10, fell to a shock 14-21, 21-17, 21-18 defeat to Japan’s Takuto Inoue-Yuki Kaneko although much was expected from the Malaysians after they had reached the quarter-finals at the last edition in Nanjing, China.
Malaysia kept their quarter-final hopes alive in the women’s doubles when Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen advanced with a 21-18, 21-16 win over Thailand’s Chayanit Chaladchalam-Phataiman Muenwong.
Vivian-Cheng Wen, however, has to break down China’s seventh seeds Du Yue-Li Yin Hui in the third round.
The other Malaysian pair alive in the women’s doubles is Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean who reached the third round in Nanjing last year. RIZAL ABDULLAH
