KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — It was a bad day in the office for the national top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan – M. Thinaah, and national men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong, as both were shown the exit in the second round of the China Open 2023 in Changzhou today.
In the Super 1000 tournament held in the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium, the unseeded Tan – Thinaah failed to upset the fifth seeds from Japan, Yuki Fukushima – Sayaka Hirota after going down 16 – 21, 16 – 21, in 47 minutes.
Meanwhile, Ng blew the opening set victory over Shesar Hiren Rhustavito, 21 – 18, before the Indonesian staged a comeback by taking the following two sets, 21 – 11, 22 – 20, to check into the quarter-finals.
However, two mixed doubles pairs, Chen Tang Jie – Toh Ee Wei and Tan Kian Meng – Lai Pei Jing, brought cheers to the Malaysian badminton camp as they continued their fine run to sail into the last eight.
Chen – Toh survived a rubber set thriller to stun sixth seeds from South Korea, Kim Won Ho – Jeong Na Eun, 21 – 15, 15 – 21, 21 – 18.
The unseeded duo will take on Ye Hong Wei – Lee Chia Sin tomorrow after the unseeded Taiwanese pair pulled off a sensational win over home pair and third seeds, Feng Yan Zhe – Huang Dong Ping, 21 – 18, 21 – 19.
Tan – Lai, on the other hand, clawed back from a game down to see off Indonesia’s Praveen Jordan – Melati Daeva Oktavianti, 18 – 21, 21 – 19, 21 – 12.
The professional pair will next play fourth seeds from Thailand, Dechapol Puavaranukroh – Sapsiree Taerattanachai who disposed of Indonesian pair Rinov Rivaldy – Pitha Haningtyas Mentari, 21 – 16, 21 – 13.
— Bernama
