Wei Jie-Ee Yi shock Japanese pair at China Masters

 The world No 86 Malaysians beat 21st-ranked Japanese pair Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi after saving three match points in the opening round.

Chia Wei Jie-Teo Ee Yi will face compatriots Nur Azriyn Ayub -Tan Wee Kiong in the second round, which assures Malaysia of a quarter-final spot.

PETALING JAYA:

National men’s doubles pair Chia Wei Jie-Teo Ee Yi pulled off a shock win over their much higher-ranked Japanese rivals after saving three match points at the China Masters opening round.

The Malaysian world No 86 beat 21st-ranked Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi 21-16, 19-21, 22-20 in 54 minutes at the Sports Centre Gymnasium in Shenzhen, China.

Trailing 17-20 in the deciding game, Wei Jie-Ee Yi kept their cool to force a deuce before winning the match.

The duo, who started playing together in May, will face compatriots Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong, who beat the newly paired national duo of Aaron Chia-Man Wei Chong 14-21, 21-15, 21-19 in 49 minutes.

This assures Malaysia of a quarter-final slot in the men’s doubles event. - FMT