# Thomas Cup discard Zukfadli stuns world Wei Nan
# Iskandar and Jing Yi first round casualties
# V Shem-Wee Kiong also shown the exit
# Vivian Hoo-Khe Wei get free ride into the second round in women’s doubles
By Rizal Abdullah
Surprises came in many ways for Malaysian shuttlers in the Badminton Asia Championships in Wuhan, China on Wednesday.
Topping the list is Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei’s free ride into the women’s doubles second riund without lifting their racquet after China’s Tang Yuanting-Yu Yang conceded a walkover.
The Chinese pair, ranked No 3 in the world, did not take the court after Yu Yang picked up an ankle injury.
It is certainly a big boost to the Malaysian pair’s quest for a place to the Rio Olympics but they face a daunting task against World No 2 Nitya Krishinda Maheswari-Greysia Polii for a place in the quarter-finals.
The Indonesians defeated Thailand’s Jongkolpha Kititharakul- Rawinda Prajongjai 21-18, 21-8.
In the men’s singles Thomas Cup discard Zulfadli Zulkifli responded with a stunning 21-12, 17-21, 21-18 upset win in a marathon 72 minute match. The former Asian and world junior champion earned a second round clash against World No 1 and top seed Chen Long for a place in the quarter-finals.
However, national champion Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin lost track of his match against Taiwan’s Wang Tze Wei and lost 19-21, 18-21 in 42 minutes despite holding healthy leads in both sets.
Malaysia’s top woman shuttler gave a good account of herself against third seed Wang Yihan in her 21-13, 12-21, 11-21 defeat in 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, defending champions Lin Dan of China in the men’s singles and Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in the women’s singles cleared their first hurdle in contracting style.
Lin Dan, the second seed, had to go the full distance before he could subdue Indonesian youngster Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 21-9, 14-21, 21-19 in 65 minutes while top seed Chen Long had an easier match against Korean Jeon Hyeon-jin winning 21-14, 21-16 in 42.
It was a breeze for former world No 1 and third seed Lee Chong Wei who stretched his head-to-head count to 16-0 against China’s Wang Zhengming with a 21-16, 21-14 win in 46 minutes.
Chong Wei will play Hong Kong’s Vincent Wong Wing Kit for a place in the quarter-finals. Wing Kit romped to a 21-18, 21-6 win over Indonesian youngster Ginting Anthony.
Ratchanok, the new world No 1 after winning three Superseries titles in a row – the India Open, the Malaysia Open and the Singapore Open – was an easy 21-7, 21-11 winner over Malaysian qualifier Ho Yen Mei.
There was also shock in the men’s doubles when China’s third seeds Chai Biao-Hong Wei were shown the exit in the first round – losing 25-27, 17-21 to Japanese pair Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS (Selected)
Men’s Singles
Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Wang Zhengming (Chn) 21-16, 21-14
Lin Dan (Chn) beat Ihsan Maulana Mustofa (Ina) 21-9, 14-21m 21-19
Nguyen Tien Minh (Vie) beat Loh Kean Yew (Sin) 21-17, 21-14
Zulfadli Zulkifli (Mas) beat Wei Nan (Hkg) 21-12, 17-21m 21-18
Chen Long (Chn) beat Jeon Hyeon-jin (Kor) 21-4, 21-16
Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) beat Khosit Phetpradab (Tha) 21-14, 21-13
Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) beat Hsu Jen-hao (Tpe) 21-19, 21-13
Takuma Ueda (Jpn) beat Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) 23-21, 21-18
Lee Dong Keun (Kor) beat K. Srikanth (Ind) 13-21, 21-12, 21-19
Vincent Wong Wing Kit (Hkg) beat Ginting Anthony (Ina) 21-18, 21-6
Wang Tzu Wei (Tpe) beat Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin (Mas) 21-19, 21-18
Men’s Doubles
Gideon Markus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Ina) Wannawat Ampunsuwan-Tinn Isriyanate (Tha) 15-21, 21-14, 21-13
Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda (Jpn) beat Chai Biao-Hong Wei (Chn) 27-25, 21-17
Kim Gi-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor) beat Bao Minh-Bao Duc Duong (Vie) 21-7, 21-11
Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen (Chn) beat Chan Tsz-kit-Law Cheuk-him (Tpe) 21-12, 17-21, 21-16
Ko Sung-hyun-Shin Baek-cheol (Kor) beat Chrisnanta Danny Bawa-Hendra Wijaya (Sin) 21-14, 21-13
Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) beat Bahaedeen Ahmad Alshannik-Naser Mansor Nayef (Jor) 21-12
Terry Hee Yong Kai-Loh Kean Hean (Sin) beat Goh V Shem-Tan Wee KIong (Mas) 18-21, 23-21, 21-19
Women’s Singles
Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) beat Ho Yen Mei (Mas) 21-7, 21-11
Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) beat Kim Hyo-min (Kor) 21-12, 21-8
Pai Yo-po (Tpe) beat Yui Hashimoto (Jpn) 17-21, 21-17, 21-18
Wang Shixian (Chn) beat Cheung Ngan-yi (Tpe) 21-18, 21-12
P.V. Sindhu (Ind) beat Maria Febe Kusumastuti (Ina) 21-10, 21-13
Wang Yihan (Chn) beat Tee Jing Yi (Mas) 13-21, 21-12, 21-11
Sayaka Sato (Jpn) Hana Ramadhini (Ina) 21-12, 21-12
Women’s Doubles
Chang Ye-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) beat Jwala Gutta-Ashwini Ponappa (Ind) 21-15, 21-11
Naoko Fukuman-Kurumi Yanao (Jpn) Chan Kaka Tsz-ka-Yuen Sin-ying (Tpe) 21-15, 21-9
Nitya Krishinda Maheswari-Greysia Polii (Ina) beat Thu Huyen Le-Nhu Thao Pham (Vie) 21-6, 21-16
Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (Mas) w/o Tang Yuanting-Yu Yang (Chn)
