PETALING JAYA: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (pic) are aiming high at the Japan Open.
The national men’s doubles pair, who are playing in their biggest tournament so far since renewing their partnership last month, are eyeing another solid outing after impressing in the US and Korean Opens recently.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin captured the US Open title and stunned independent pair and world No. 6 Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi en-route to reaching the quarter-finals in the Korean tourney.
Their encouraging form has propelled them from No. 46 to No. 38 in the latest world rankings.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin got off to a good start in the Japan Open with a 21-18, 21-15 win over home pair Ayato Endo-Yuta Takei in the first round at the Yoyogi Gymnasium in Tokyo yesterday.
“We are happy to win and will keep focusing on every match after this,” said Izzuddin. Sze Fei-Izzuddin have a tough task next as they face China’s world No. 7 Liu Yuchen-Ou Xuanyi.
The former have a good record against the Chinese pair as they have never lost to them before.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin beat Yuchen-Xuanyi in the Malaysian Open and most memorably in the German Open final last year.
Another national pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik also reached the second round after their opponents India’s M. R. Arjun-Dhruv Kapila retired while trailing 5-15.
Arjun had suffered a back injury in the Korean Open.
Meanwhile, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun could not set-up an all-Malaysian second round match against Aaron-Wooi Yik after they went down fighting 11-21, 21-15, 20-22 to Indonesia’s Shohibul Fikri-Bagas Maulana.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun were left to rue a missed opportunity after squandering a match point at 20-19 in the third game.
In the mixed doubles, independent pairs Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing also suffered early exits.
Soon Huat-Shevon fell to a disappointing 18-21, 11-21 defeat to South Korea’s Ko Sung-hyun-Eom Hye-won while Kian Meng-Pei Jing went down 21-14, 15-21, 10-21 to Korean Open champions Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping.
“Our target is definitely to win the title here and we will prepare well to bring out our best performance.”
FIRST ROUND RESULTS
(Malaysian unless stated)
Men’s singles: Ng Tze Yong bt Loh Kean Yew (Sin) 21-16, 21-17; Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) bt Lee Zii Jia 20-22, 21-17, 21-19; Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt Cheam June Wei 21-7, 21-9.
Men’s doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt M. R. Arjun-Dhruv Kapila (Ind) 15-5, ret.; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin-Rumsani bt Ayato Endo-Yuta Takei (Jpn) 21-18, 21-15; Shohibul Fikri-Bagas Maulana (Ina) bt Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun 21-11, 15-21, 22-20.
Mixed doubles: Ko Sung-hyun-Eom Hye-won (Kor) bt Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 21-18, 21-11; Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (Chn) btTan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing 14-21, 21-15, 21-10.6-3.
