The world No 12 Malaysians needed 70 minutes to overcome Indonesia’s world No 71 pair, Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja, in three games.
The world No 12 Malaysians recovered from a game down to beat their world No 71 opponents 17-21, 21-14, 23-21 in a gruelling 70-minute match at the packed Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
Soon Huat-Shevon survived a tense decider in the first meeting between the two pairs, squandering three match points before finally sealing victory on their fourth attempt.
The husband-and-wife duo will face either South Korea’s Kim Jae-hyeon-Jang Ha-na or Indonesia’s Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu in the second round tomorrow.
The Malaysians, whose results have steadily declined over the past two years, will take heart from their victory over the much younger opponents.
Soon Huat-Shevon won two titles and reached four finals in 2024, but only managed three semi-final appearances last year.
In the nine World Tour events they have contested this year, they reached the quarter-finals only twice, suffering early exits in the remaining tournaments.
Earlier, another Malaysian mixed doubles pair, Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin, advanced to the second round after defeating an Indonesian pair.
Malaysia’s remaining mixed doubles representatives, Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien, will play their opening-round match later this evening. - FMT
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