PETALING JAYA: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are growing from strength to strength after being reunited last month.
Yesterday, the national men’s doubles pair toppled compatriots and world No. 6 Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 25-23, 21-15 in the second round of the Korean Open at the Jinnam Stadium in Yeosu.
World No. 46 Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who had captured the US Open last week, have continued their fine form and have not lost a match since renewing their partnership.
Doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky was pleased with the pair’s performance.
“Both of them played with a very clear mindset and were very positive,” said Rexy.
“They did not hesitate and took more initiative in front of the net.
This win is good for their confidence.”
Sze Fei-Izzuddin, though, will face their biggest test yet in the last eight today against Indonesia’s world No. 1 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto.
Meanwhile, national No. 1 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik suffered a shock 21-19, 18-21, 19-21 defeat to Japan’s world No. 34 Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi.
The loss was a bitter blow to the world No. 4 Malaysian pair, who had just started to find some form after an inconsistent start to the year.
In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah’s campaign is also over after the duo went down fighting 17-21, 21-17, 19-21 to China’s world No. 1 Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan.
Pearly-Thinaah, though can hold their heads high after coming to within a whisker of pulling off a huge upset in their first tournament after the former’s recovery from an elbow injury.
“Our defence was not good enough during the crucial points,” said Thinaah.
“This caused the Chinese pair to attack us aggressively and we lost points there.
“We need to learn from this and do better in our next tournaments.”
It was not a good day for the mixed doubles as independent pairs Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing both crashed out.
Soon Huat-Shevon suffered a disappointing 17-21, 13-21 defeat to Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito while Kian Meng-Pei Jing went down 9-21, 7-21 to Thailand’s world No. 3 Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
RESULTS
(Malaysians Only)
Second round
Men’s singles: Ng Tze Yong bt Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 21-18, 21-17.
Men’s doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 25-23, 21-15; Keiichiro Matsui Yoshinori Takeuchi (Jpn) bt Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik 19-21, 21-18, 21-19.
Women’s singles: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt S. Kisona 20-22, 21-14, 21-14; Tai Tzu-ying (Tpe) bt K. Letshanaa 21-15, 21-5.
Women’s doubles: Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan (Chn) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 21-17, 17-21, 21-19.
Mixed doubles: Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito (Jpn) bt Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 21-17, 21-13; Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) bt Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing 21-9, 21-7.
