KUALA LUMPUR – Six games, one win. It is the same story as the first day of the BWF World Tour Finals for the Malaysian contingent, which put up a disappointing performance in Bangkok, Thailand today.
National men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik failed to overpower China’s Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi 23-21, 22-24, 21-16 and are now out of the tournament following the defeat.
In the first set, Aaron-Wooi Yik blew their lead, which gave the Chinese pair room to catch up and lead the game going into the second set.
The second set was scary for Malaysian badminton fans as the reigning world champions also gave up a steady six-point lead, but eventually managed to claw their way back and force a third-set showdown.
The third was close, but not close enough as Yu Chen-Xuan Yi held their lead from the first point. They won the match in one hour and five minutes.
The only win for the Malaysian shuttlers came through men’s doubles pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi after they won against South Korea’s Choi Sol-gyu-Kim Won-ho 21-17, 23-21.
The duo bounced back from a dismal start for the Malaysian shuttlers yesterday, after they lost to Japan’s Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi 21-19, 21-16.
“Yesterday was a good learning step for us. Perhaps we wanted to win so much that we put too much pressure on ourselves.
“We won’t be celebrating tonight because there still are important matches in the tournament,” said the pair.
Meanwhile, it was disappointing for the other pairs as Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sen lost to Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard 21-9, 21-12.
Yesterday’s sole winners Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing could not repeat a win today. They lost to Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai 21-9, 21-11.
It was also a loss for mixed-doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Lai Shevon Jemie after they lost to French pair Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue 21-16, 18-21, 17-21.
National top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah were the first to crash out of the tournament today after they lost to top Chinese pair Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan 21-13, 21-15. – The Vibes, December 8, 2022.
