It was heartbreak in the Boys’ singles Under-16 when top seed Samuel Lee of Penang was bundled out of the 100PLUS National Junior Circuit Zone A (First Leg) in Kuantan on Friday.
The favourite toiled for 68 minutes at the Pahang BA Hall but could not stop Perak’s Yew Lye Jun from snatching a 21-19, 17-21, 24-22 win on a day when three other Penang hopefuls also fell by the wayside.
It was certainly not Penang’s day when only Wah Jia Wei came through the quarter-finals and that too because he was involved in an all-Penang match against compatriot Goh Boon Zhe and came off 21-14, 16-21, 21-17 winner in a 55-minute battle.
The rest of the Penang hopefuls fell at the last eight hurdle.
Mehgulan Harikrishnan came unstuck against Sabah’s Mozes Mohd Hamizan 21-15, 21-15 while Teh Jin Hong fell to Sabah’s Samin Demond Anthony (21-19, 17-21, 21-16).
Sabah enjoyed a fruitful day and to keep their all-Sabah final hope alive.
In the semifinals Samin will face Jia Wei and Mozes will be up against Lye Jun.
Sabah also have three contenders in the Boys’ Under-14.
Elvestly Daniel Edry ended Pahang’s hopes when he packed off Wan Ermah Shafri Wan Ezremy Shaqir in a come-from-behind 14-21, 21-17, 21-15 win to setup an all-Sabah semi-final against James Calester Cleve.
Second seeded Azahawari Hanz Haiqal boosted Sabah’s hope when he downed teammate Andrew Aguwell 21-11, 21-10 and will meet Penang’s Lee Jian for a place in the final.
Sabah girls also stayed in contention for the U16 singles title with top seed Samin Arena Satu sailing into the last four with a 21-10, 21-15 win over Penang’s Tan Mei Xin.
In the semifinals, Samin will meet Penang’s Lim Sze Jin.
Compatriot Yap Velerry defeated Perak’s Vibiana Vincent Ravindran 21-18, 21-15 and will face Pahang’s Tan Jet Sin who won 21-15, 21-15 against Sabah’s Wong Bin Jie.
RESULTS (Selected)
Quarter-finals
Singles
Boys’ Under-16
Yew Lye Jun (Prk) beat Samuel Lee (Pen) 21-19, 17-21, 24-22
Mozes Mohd Hamizan (Sab) beat Mehgulan Harikrishnan (Pen) 21-15, 21-15
Samin Demond Anthony (Sab) beat Teh Jin Hong (Pen) 21-19, 17-21, 21-16
Wah Jia Wei (Pen) beat Goh Boon Zhe (Pen) 21-14, 16-21, 21-17
Boys’ Under 14
Elvestly Daniel Edry (Sab) beat Wan Ermah Shafri Wan Ezremy Shaqir (Pah) 14-21, 21-17, 21-15
James Calester Cleve (Sab) beat Amirul Mohd Taufiq (Sab) 24-26, 21-17, 21-12
Lee Jian (Pen) beat Edward Cheong Yan Kai (Prk) 11-21, 21-19, 21-13
Azahawari Hanz Haiqal (Sab) beat Andrew Aguwell (Sab) 21-11, 21-10
Girls’ Under-16
Samin Arena Satu (Sab) beat Tan Mei Xin (Pen) 21-10, 21-15
Lim Sze Jin (Pen) beat Chew Jia Hui (Prk) 18-21, 21-15, 21-17
Tan Jet Sin (Pah) beat Wong Bin Jie (Sab) 21-15, 21-15
Yap Velerry (Sab) beat Vibiana Vincent Ravindran (Prk) 21-18, 21-15
