KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — National professional men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani kicked off their China Open 2024 campaign on a positive note by defeating the host duo Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi in the first round today.
However, it was not an easy task as the world’s 12th-ranked pair had to work hard before overcoming Chen-Liu in a gruelling rubber-set match 17-21, 21-12, 21-19 in 53 minutes.
Izzuddin admitted that despite the win, he was not satisfied with their performance today.
“I think today was not our best performance. We felt quite pressured at the start, but we are glad that we managed to come back in the second and third sets,” he said in a recording shared by the Badminton World Federation today.
Awaiting Goh-Izzuddin in the second round on Thursday (September 19) are their compatriots Wan Muhammad Arif Shaharuddin Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King, who crushed United States pair Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith 21-11 and 21-12.
Also advancing to the second round are the national duo Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, who defeated Chinese pair Xie Hao Nan-Zeng Wei Han in straight sets, 21-17, 21-19.
They will face the winners of another first-round match involving the Malaysian duo Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri, who are set to meet former world champions Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Sung Jae of South Korea tomorrow.
In the mixed doubles event, Malaysian professional pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai advanced to the second round after defeating Singaporean pair Terry Hee Yong Kai and Jessica Tan Wei Han 21-13, 21-15.
They will face Thailand’s Supak Jomkoh-Supissara Paewsampran, who received a bye in the second round.
Meanwhile, the hopes of the country’s sole representative in the women’s singles Goh Jin Wei to progress to the next round were dashed after she fell to Taiwan’s Sung Shuo Yun 9-21, 21-12, 8-21.
Besides Jin Wei, national professional men’s doubles pair Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong also bowed out in the first round today after conceding to experienced England pair Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, 21-18, 19-21, 15-21.
— Bernama
