PETALING JAYA: Malaysia were unable to rise to the occasion in the quarter-finals of the mixed team badminton event at the Asian Junior Championships on a day when top teams suffered a meltdown.
The team led by Eogene Ewe went down 0-3 to defending champions Thailand in Yogyakarta yesterday.
The day started on the wrong-footing for Malaysia when Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu lost the mixed doubles 22-20, 21-16 to Tanakorn Meechai-Foongfa Korpthammakit.
A tense Eogene, the most reliable member of the team, buckled under pressure when he suffered a close 17-21, 21-17, 21-17 defeat to Wongsup Wongsup-in in the men’s singles.
Instead of Ong Xin Yee, second ranked Ung Yi Xing was fielded in the women’s singles due to her good record against Thailand’s number one women’s player Sirada Roongpiboonsopit but the opposition camp had also anticipated the move.
Thailand instead played their second ranked player Saranporn Sombutwatthananukool who beat Yi Xing 21-15, 21-9 to clinch the tie.
The way Saranporn performed yesterday, even Xin Yee may not have made a difference in the outcome of the tie.
National junior singles coaching director Datuk Misbun Sidek said Thailand were the better team but defended his move to tweak the line-up.
“We expected it to be a 50-50 tie but Thailand played well today (yesterday). We lost to a better team,” conceded Misbun.
“We had banked on Eogene to win a point but his opponent played a much better game. Eogene’s nerves got the better of him.
“Our strategy to put Yi Xing was because she had a good record against Thailand first singles (Sirada). Yi Xing also played well in the group stage. However, Thailand opted to play their second singles instead.
“In reality, the players were unable to play their best. We thought we could at least give Thailand a better fight since we played well in the group stage.
“We did not expect to lose 0-3 and it was disappointing.”
In the other ties yesterday, Japan toppled powerhouse China 3-1 while Taiwan also stunned South Korea 3-0 to move into the semi-finals.
Indonesia, however, avoided any misfortune as they overcame India 3-1 to advance to the last four.
RESULTS
Quarter-finals: Thailand beat Malaysia 3-0 (Tanakorn Meechai-Foongfa Korpthammakit bt Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu 22-20, 21-16; Wongsup Wongsup-in bt Eogene Ewe 17-21, 21-17, 21-17; Saranporn Sombutwatthananukool bt Ung Yi Xing 21-15, 21-9); Indonesia beat India 3-1; Japan beat China 3-1; Taiwan beat South Korea 3-0.