Young Malaysians upset Olympic champs in Bali

 

Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani swept aside the Taiwanese third seeds 21-15, 23-21 in 37 minutes. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani caused an upset when they eliminated Tokyo Olympic gold medallists Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin in the second round of the Indonesia Open in Bali today.

It is the second consecutive defeat for the top pair from Taiwan after they were overpowered by Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters last Saturday.

Ranked 19th in the world, Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin swept aside the third seeds and world No 3 21-15, 23-21 in 37 minutes at the Bali International Convention Centre in Nusa Dua.

Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin will meet the winners of the clash between India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae of South Korea in the quarterfinals.

Aaron-Wooi Yik surprisingly lost to fellow Malaysians Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 21-14, 21-17 in 29 minutes in the second round.

The result means they are forced to wait for their first major title this year while Yew Sin-Ee Yi will square off against world No 1 pair Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo in the last eight.

The host’ doubles pair, who are also the top seeds, subdued South Koreans Choi Solgyu-Kim Wonho 12-21, 21-19, 21-18.

The national women’s doubles camp ended their challenge when all three pairs were shown the exit in the second round.

Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, who were seeded eighth, lost 14-21, 22-20, 21-17 to non-seeded Indonesian pair Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Amalia Cahaya Pratiwi while Lee Meng Yean-Yap Cheng Wen and Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien also failed to advance.

Meng Yean-Cheng Wen went down tamely to fifth seeds Gabriela Stoeva-Stefani Stoeva of Bulgaria, who beat them 21-14, 21-15, while Vivian-Chiew Sien fought hard before falling 24-26, 21-12, 21-11 to third seeds Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai of Thailand.

In the mixed doubles, national pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying booked their quarterfinal spot and will meet South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Eom Hye-won after trouncing Germans Jones Ralfy Jansen-Linda Efler 21-9, 21-13 in the second round.

Meanwhile, Cheng Tan Jie-Peck Yen Wei will battle top seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand, with Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing facing hosts Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Crhystine Bandaso for a place in the quarterfinals. - FMT