Lim TzeJian-Wong Tien Ci were denied the Men’s Doubles title at the PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge 2024 when they fell in the final that was played at the Perak Badminton Arena in Ipoh this evening.
After scalping the tournament top seed yesterday, the 129th ranked Tze Jian-Tien Ci raced to take the first set 21-14 against Solomon Jr. Padiz-Julius Villabrille from the Philippines.
However the Philippines duo, who were APACS Kazakhstan Future Series winners last year, kept their eyes on the prize to take the second set 23-21 before storming to the Men’s Doubles title with a 21-16 victory in the third set.
In the meantime, Japan took three titles at the PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge 2024 when they emerged triumphant in the Men’s Singles Women’s Doubles and also the Women’s Singles.
In an all- Japan affair, Minoru Koga reached above his sixteenth seeded ranking to outplay tournament fifth seed Riku Hatano to grab the Men’s Singles crown.
In a duel that lasted 74 minutes, the 27-year-old Koga, who had emerged runners-up at the Canada Open in 2018, took the first set 21-19 before Hatano fought back to take the second set 21-15.
However, Koga had just a tad more experience to win the third set 21-11 for his second PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge crown in two years.
It was also an all-Japan affair in the final of the Women’s Doubles with Naru Shinoya-Nao Yamakita emerging victorious over compatriots Hinata Suzuki-An Uesugi.
The 30-year-old who had only recently formed her partnership with Yamakita took an hour before they were able to overcome Suzuki-Uesugi 21-13, 12-21, 21-17.
Japan then took their third title at the PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge with Riko Gunji living up to her top billing to take the Women’s Singles crown.
The 22-year-old from Kanagawa, who had earlier taken the Indonesia Masters Super 100 1 title in August this year, showed her mettle against second seeded 19-year-old Ruzana Ruzana from Indonesia.
Ruzana was eager to to show her prowess after winning the Sri Lanka International Challenge earlier this year when she took the first set 21-19.
But Gunji was not about to be undone when she duly took the next two sets 21-15,, 21-11.
Indonesia made up for the loss in the Women’s Singles, by taking the Mixed Doubles crown.
In the all-Indonesia final, Amri Syahnawi-Nita Violina Marwah outgunned Adnan Maulana-Indah Cahya Sari Jamil in a three set thriller that lasted just over an hour.
Playing against his former partner Indah Cahya, the 25-year-old Amri alongside Nita Violana succumbed to a a first 22-24 defeat.
But the duo then rallied to take the next two sets 21-11, 21-19 for their first title together this year.
