Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing suffered an embarrassing first-round exit in the USD400,000 Yonex Sunrise Hong Kong Open in a first-round mixed doubles match at the Hong Kong Coliseum on Tuesday.
The Malaysians lost 19-21, 21-17, 19-21 to Russia’s Rodion Alimov-Alina Davletova in 54 minutes. The defeat came in the wake of their second-round exit in last week’s Fuzhou China Open where they lost to Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
However, Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie marched into the second round in the Hong Kong Open with a straight-game 21-17, 21-8 win over Dutch opponents Robin Tabeling-Selena Piek.
They will face Japan’s Kohei Gondo-Ayane Kurihara for a place in the last eight. The Japanese had a tough three-game first-round match before prevailing 21-19, 15-21, 21-19 against Canada’s Joshua HurlburtYu-Josephine Wu who was promoted from the qualifying rounds.
Professionals Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying also made a winning start to their Hong Kong campaign, registering a 21-16, 21-16 win over Indonesia’s Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas Mentari.
They next face Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet who beat Lee Jhe Huei-Hsu Ya Ching of Chinese Taipei 21-17, 21-11.
Meanwhile, with Lee Zii Jia pulling out of the men’s singles after falling sick in Fuzhou, professional Liew Daren kept Malaysia’s challenge alive by making the main draw after winning both his qualifying round matches.
Daren, a former Thomas Cupper, beat Indonesia’s Yeheziel Fritz Mainaky 21-13, 21-8 in the first round and Lu Chia Hung of Chinese Taipei21-19, 21-17 in the second. He faces Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke for a place in the second round.
From their semi-final appearance in last week’s Fuzhou China Open, Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie cleared the first hurdle in the Hong Kong Open on Tuesday. RIZAL ABDULLAH
