Malaysia’s mixed doubles pairs Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing suffered embarrassing first-round defeats in the USD400,000 Korea Open at Incheon Airport Skydome on Tuesday.
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Fifth seeds Peng Soon-Liu Ying crashed to a 12-21, 10-21 defeat in only 33 minutes to Thailand’s Nipitphon Phuangphuapet-Savitree Amitrapai while Kian Meng-Pei Jing stayed longer before bowing out to China’s Lu Kai-Chen Lu 21-12, 19-21, 13-21 in 61 minutes.
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Malaysia had withdrawn another mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie from the tournament although the pair reached the quarter-finals in the China Open in Changzhou last week.
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Meanwhile, in the men’s singles, Soo Tekj Zhi failed to make the main draw when he lost 18-21, 21-18, 18-21 to Lin Yu Hsien of Chinese Taipei in the first round in the qualifying round which lasted a good 73 minutes.
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Malaysia’s top men’s shuttler Lee Zii Jia goes into the fray on Wednesday with a first-round match against Thailand’s Suppanyu Avinhingsanon while professional Lew Daren, who was promoted to the main draw will take on former Chinese legend Lin Dan.
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In the men’s doubles, Malaysia will have a pair in the second round when Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi take on professional Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, winners of the Chinese Taipei Open two weeks ago.
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Top doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik face a daunting first-round match against newly crowned China Open champions – top seeds and world No 1 Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.
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In the women’s singles, Soniia Cheah is up against Indonesia’s rising star Gregoria Mariska in the first round. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH