Men’s doubles Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kion and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (mixed doubles) cleared their first hurdle in the USD150,000 Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters to kick start their professional career.
The pairs turned professional after quitting the national team this month and would not asked for a better start to advance to the second round to give themselves a psychological boost.
Top seeds V Shem-Wee Kiong silenced the home fans at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok with a straight game 21-13, 21-15 win over Thailand’s Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh in only 27 minutes.
In the second round the former world No 1 pair will face Japan’s Masato Takano-Yoshiki Tsukamoto – 21-19, 21-16 winners over England’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy.
Joining them in the second round are youngsters and sixth seeds Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi who smashed Vietnam’s Do Tuan Duc-Pham Hong Nam 21-10, 21-7. Their second round opponents is the Thai pair of Tinn Isriyaney-Nipitphon Phuangphuapet.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying cleared their first hurdle with a 21-16, 21-10 win over Thailand’s Tinn Isriyanet-Chasinee Korepap on tuesday.
The Rio Olympic silver medallist play Russians Rodion Alimov-Alina Davletova on Thursday for a place in the quarter-finals.
Another mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei, the seventh seeds, also advanced to the second round after coming through a 16-21, 21-12, 21-13 win over Lin Chia-yu-Hsu Ya-ching of Chinese Taipei.
In the men’s singles Lee Zii Jia and Cheam June Wei brought some cheer to the Malaysian camp with first round wins.
Zii Jia outplayed Indonesian veteran Sony Dwi Kuncoro 21-17, 21-11 while June Wei tamed another Indonesian Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 21-18, 11-21, 21-15.
Hong Kong China veteran Vincent Wong Wing Ki awaits Zii Jia in the second round while June Wei is up against Thai’s Pannawit Thongnuam.
However, it was an early exit for compatriot Soong Joo Ven who fell 12-21, 21-18, 21-13 defeat to Japan’s Koki Watanabe. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAHÂ
