PETALING JAYA: Indonesia upstaged defending champions China to win the mixed team title in the World Junior Championships in Nanchang, China, yesterday.
Mutiara Ayu started on the wrong foot when she lost 7-11 to Wu Wenjing in the opening match but she made up for it by getting her sweet revenge when she played the same player later to put Indonesia ahead at 66-55.
All other Indonesian players won their respective matches in a tight new 11-point rally scoring tie to ensure that the title returns to them after six years. They last won the mixed team title in 2019.
Malaysia had earlier lost to China in the semi-finals.
The individual competition begins today and the Malaysian players, led by Mohd Faiq Masawi, will be out to end their title drought since 2018. Goh Jin Wei was the last winner when she lifted the girls’ singles title in 2018.
FINAL RESULTS
Indonesia bt China 110-103 (Mutiara Ayu lost to Xu Wenjing 7-11; Isyana Syahira-Rinjani Kwinara bt Chen Fan Shutian-Li Jiayue 22-15; Darren Aurelius-Bernadine Anindya bt Lin Xiangyi-Liu Yuanyuan 33-31; Moh Zaki Ubaidillah bt Hu Zhean 44-40; Anselmus Breagit-Pulung Ramadhan bt Hu Keyuan-Lin Xiangyi 55-48; Mutiara bt Wenjing 66-55; Isyana Syahira-Rinjani Kwinara bt Shutian-Jiayue 77-62; Darren-Bernadine bt Xiangyi-Yuanyuan 88-77; Zaki bt Zhean 99-87; Anselmus-Pulung bt Keyuan-Xiangyi 110-103).
