KUALA LUMPUR – Veteran shuttler Liew Daren’s journey at the Malaysia Open did not go far as he was knocked out in the first round after losing to India’s H.S. Prannoy 21-14, 17-21, 21-18 here at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.
Losing the opening set, Daren came back strong in the second, and was resilient in the rubber set. But his efforts were overpowered by the Thomas Cup winner.
“I struggled in the first set because of the drift, played better in the second, but the final set was really close.
“But that’s just how it is, every game has a winner and a loser. Now, I will prepare for the Malaysia Masters next week,” said the 34-year-old.
Meanwhile, mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Lai Shevon Jemie defeated fellow countrymen Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, 21-18, 19-21, 21-18.
In the men’s doubles, Tan Wee Kiong-Tan Kian Meng beat Danish duo Jeppe Bay-Lasse Molhede 18-21, 21-15, 21-17, while Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi defeated comrades Junaidi Arif-Muhammad Haikal 21-19, 21-13.
Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin took down Japanese duo Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi 21-12, 21-12 in the thrilling final match of the day.
In the women’s doubles, Low Yeen Yuan-Valeree Siow came from behind to take down German pair Linda Efler-Isabel Lohau, 17-21, 21-16, 21-19.
Other big names that made it to the next round was Taiwan’s Chou Tien Chen after he beat Canadian Brian Yang 21-16, 21-9.
Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting also progressed, winning against B. Sai Praneeth 21-15, 19-21, 21-9.
Although world number one Viktor Axelsen was not happy about the drift inside the arena, he took down Frenchman Brice Leverdez, winning the match 22-20, 21-7.
However, mixed pair Choong Hon Jian-Peck Yen Wei lost to Hong Kong duo Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet, 21-18, 21-18, while Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See lost to Indonesian couple Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas Mentari 9-21, 21-12, 22-20.
Joining them out of the tournament is men’s doubles duo Chang Yee Jun-Yap Roy King, who lost to Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi of China 21-14, 21-18, and Goh V Shem-Low Juan Shen, who were defeated by Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto 21-18, 21-9.
Man Wei Chong-Kai Vun Tee also suffered a defeat to India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty 21-18, 21-11.
World number one women’s shuttler Akane Yamaguchi was served an upset after she lost to 30th seed Gregoria Mariska Tunjung 21-14, 21-14 in the opening round, while Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew also exited at the hands of Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 21-19, 21-12. – The Vibes, June 28, 2022
