Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying’s hopes of winning a medal in the World Championships in Nanjing went up in smoke in the quarter-finals – thanks to an injured left heel picked up by Liu Ying in the third round.
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The Malaysians, seeded eighth and ranked No 9 in the world, gave their best despite the injury to Liu Ying against Hong Kong’s third seeds Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Yuet and succumbed 21-12, 11-21, 21-10 in a 56-minute encounter.
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It was a sad end to Peng Soon-Liu Ying who felt that they had the chance to end Malaysia’s 12-year drought in the mixed doubles in the world meet. Malaysia last won a medal in the world championships through Koo Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty in Madrid in 2006.
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With the defeat of Peng Soon-Liu Ying, Malaysia’s challenge for a medal now rests with Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in the men’s doubles and Daren Liew in the men’s singles. Their matches will be played later tonight.
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Meanwhile, there were two major upsets in the women’s singles and the men’s doubles.
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Top seed and world number one Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei, who was favored to win her first world title, suffered a shock exit at the hands of China’s sixth seed He Binjiao who won 21-18, 7-21, 21-13 in the women’s singles.
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In another women’s singles, quarter-final tie Spain’s Carolina Marin outplayed India’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina Nehwal 21-6, 21-11.
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In the men’s doubles, Indonesia’s world number one and top seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo were bundled out in the quarter-finals by Japan’s fifth seeds Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda 21-19, 21-18. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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