PETALING JAYA: Boy’s singles shuttler Mohd Faiq Masawi (pic) caused an upset on his way to the World Junior Championships quarter-finals yesterday, but the challenge only gets tougher for the 18-year-old.
Faiq, who is seeded ninth in the competition, defeated third seed Bharath Latheesh from the United Arab Emirates 21-14, 21-19 in a swift 36 minutes in Nanchang, China, yesterday.
But tournament second seed Indonesian Moh Zaki Ubaidullah now stands in Faiq’s way.
Although the Indonesian is seeded higher, Faiq leads in their head-to-head score as he has won two of their previous three encounters.
Zaki, however, won their most recent meeting at the 2023 Junior International Grand Prix in Indonesia last year.
Faiq was unable to make it a double joy after he and partner Lok Hong Quan lost 21-10, 17-21, 17-21 to Indonesia’s Karsten Spencer-Dapa Lesmana.
Meanwhile, top seeds Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing made it to the boys’ doubles quarter-finals after defeating Hong Kong duo Awan Usman-Cyrus Chung 21-12, 21-11.
They will take on Indonesians Dexter Farrell-Wahyu Agung in the next round today. National junior head coach Jeffer Rosobin said the shuttlers did well to advance, but with tough opponents in their way today, a stellar performance from the players is needed.
“Faiq and Aaron-Khai Xing played a good game.
‘‘Let’s hope they can also give us a good performance in the quarter-finals,” he said.
In the mixed doubles, Datu Anif Isaac Datu Asrah-Dania Sofea Zaidi defeated Taiwanese pair Bao Xin-wai-Hsieh Mi-yen 21-19, 21-18 to enter the quarter-finals where they will meet second seeds Lin Xiangyi-Liu Yuanyuan of China.
Sofea and women’s doubles partner Low Zi Yu also booked their spot in the quarter-finals as they won 21-15, 21-17 against French shuttlers Elsa Jacob-Camille Pognante.
They will take on compatriots Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting after the sixth seed Malaysians defeated Indonesians Riska Anggaraini-Salsabila Zahra 21-15, 21-9 in the fourth round.
Xin Yee’s run, however, ended in the girls’ singles after losing 10-21, 21-14, 16-21 to Taiwan’s Wang Pei-yu.
Lim Zhi Shin also suffered the same fate as she lost to India’s Aalisha Naik 17-21, 17-21 in the fourth round yesterday.
RESULTS
Fourth round
(Malaysians only)
Boys
Singles: Mohd Faiq Masawi bt Bharath Latheesh (Uae) 21-14, 21-19.
Doubles: Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing bt Awan Usman-Cyrus Chung (Hkg) 21-12, 21-11; Karsten Spencer-Dapa Lesmana (Ina) bt Mohd Faiq Masawi-Lok Hong Quan 10-21, 21-17, 21-17.
Girls
Singles: Wang Pei-yu (Tpe) bt Ong XinYee 21-10, 14-21, 21-16; Aalisha Naik (Ind) bt Lim Zhi Shin 21-17, 21-17.
Doubles: Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu bt Elsa Jacob-Camille Pognante (Fra) 21-15, 21-17; Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting bt Riska Anggaraini-Salsabila Zahra (Ina) 21-15, 21-9.
Mixed doubles: Datu Anif Isaac Datu Asrah-Dania Sofea Zaidi bt Bao Xin-wai-Hsieh Mi-yen (Tpe) 21-19, 21-18.
