Good job: Low Zi Yu (left) and Dania Sofea Zaidi beat Turkiye’s Aleyna Korkut-Sinem Yildiz 21-12, 21-8 in the second round of the World Junior Championships in Nanchang, China, yesterday.
PETALING JAYA: The emergence of new junior talents is a positive development for Malaysian badminton.
National junior head coach Jeffer Rosobin stressed the importance of identifying new talents and giving them opportunities in big tournaments such as the World Junior Championships.
Fourteen-year-old Low Zi Yu, who is the youngest Malaysian shuttler in the current World Junior squad, is one of the promising girls’ doubles players to be chosen in the team this time.
Zi Yu and Dania Sofea Zaidi, 16, caught the eye when they stunned several senior pairs to capture gold for Johor in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in August.
“Zi Yu is a promising player and we decided to give her an opportunity in this World Junior meet,” said Jeffer.
“It’s good to have new talents coming in and it’s important to give them chances to play in big tournaments.
“Hopefully, she and Dania can perform their best and gain valuable experience in this competition at the same time.”
Dania-Zi Yu made it to the third round of the world junior meet after easily beating Turkiye’s Aleyna Korkut-Sinem Yildiz 21-12, 21-8 in Nanchang, China, yesterday.
Dania-Zi Yu will take on Thailand’s Phattharin Aiamvareesrisakul-Napapakorn Tungkasatan for a place in the fourth round today.
Asian Junior bronze medallists Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting also made it into the third round with a 21-11, 21-15 win over Hong Kong’s Chu Wing Chi-Liu Hoi Kiu.
Xin Yee-Carmen will face Taiwan’s Chou Yun-an-Huang Ke-xin next.
Nicole Chau-Nuraqilah Maisarah Ramdan joined their teammates in the third round after overcoming Holland’s Sterre Bang-Inger Pothuizen 21-18, 21-15.
Nicole-Nuraqilah will play eighth seeds Agatha Cuevas-Kathell Desmots of France next.
In the boys’ doubles, Asian Junior silver medallists Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing and Mohd Faiq Masawi-Lok Hong Quan both are through to the third round.
Aaron-Khai Xing, who are the top seeds, will next meet India’s Bhavya Chhabra-Param Choudary next while Faiq-Hong Quan will play Americans Chen Youshi-Zhang Tian Qi. Malaysians only
Second round
Boys’ doubles: Mohd Faiq Masawi-Lok Hong Quan bt Santiago Batalha-Dinis Maia (Por) 21-14, 21-7; Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing bt Nyamaa Dorjijav-Khurts Erdene (Mon) 21-0, 21-2.
Girls’ doubles: Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu bt Aleyna Korkut-Sinem Yildiz (Tur) 21-12, 21-8; Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting bt Chu Wing Chi-Liu Hoi Kiu (Hkg) 21-11, 21-15; Nicole Chau-Nuraqilah Maisarah Ramdan bt Sterre Bang-Inger Pothuizen (Ned) 21-18, 21-15.
