Ong Xin Yee in action during against Vietnam player, Thi Trang Vu at the Bergamot KL Masters Malaysia Super 100 2023 at Stadium Titiwangsa on October 31.—AZMAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s mixed team have confirmed their spot in the quarter-finals of the Asian Junior Championships after breezing past minnows Kazakhstan 5-0 yesterday.
National Under-18 champion Ong Xin Yee (pic) got the ball rolling in the women’s singles by easily beating Alissa Kuleshova 21-3, 21-3 in the team’s second Group B match at the Among Rogo Sports Hall in Yogyakarta.
Debutant and fellow Under-18 winner in the men’s singles, Roslie Razeeq Danial doubled the team’s lead by blowing away Otabek Kamilov 21-9, 21-6.
Women’s doubles pair Carmen Ting-Nicole Chau then sealed the win with a 21-3, 21-5 victory over Kuleshova and Diana Namenova.
In the men’s doubles, Goh Yi Qin-Lok Hong Quan continued the team’s perfect record by sweeping past Aituar Romazanov-Arnur Tapishev 21-8, 21-7.
Kang Khai Xing-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan then made it 5-0 with a dominant 21-2, 21-7 win over Kamilov-Namenova in the mixed doubles.
It was the team’s second 5-0 win in the tournament after they had whipped Macau by the same score in the opening group match on Friday.
Top men’s and women’s singles shuttlers Mohd Faiq Masawi and Siti Zulaikha Azmi could even afford to be rested against Kazakhstan along with men’s doubles player Aaron Tai.
Malaysia are now assured of a place in the last eight and can seal top spot with another win over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their final group match today.
National junior head coach Jeffer Rosobin was pleased with the team’s performance and has urged his players to keep up their focus for the next matches.
“I feel the players performed even better today (yesterday) than against Macau as they are getting used to the draught on court,” said Jeffer.
“I want them to keep their concentration on the next match and take care of their physical condition.”
