dan.o.jogersen
Jan O Jorgensen

# Malaysian to play Jorgensen in second round

# Japan’s Kento returns home due to ‘personal problems’

# Top seed Chen Long struggles against Marc Zwiebler in opener

 

Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin marched into the second round in the Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open SuperSeries after a 21-16, 21-19 win over Indonesian youngster Anthony Ginting in a first round match.

It was nearly midnight when Iskandar’s match ended but the but a group of his supporters stayed back to give him morale support and he acknowledged them with pumped fists for his achievement in the 45 minute battle on court 3.

“This is something I cherish, I made the main draw for the first time in a SuperSeries event and to have advanced to the second round has given me added confidence,” said Iskandar.

“I am in the right frame of mind to face (Jan O) Jorgensen for a place in the quarter-final. Jorgensen is a higher ranked player and it will be an achievement to stay afloat in the Malaysia Open.”

Earlier, top seed and defending champion Chen Long was given a tough time by Germany’s Marc Zwiebler before winning 21-19, 21-15 after an hour’s battle.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Kento Momota has withdrawn from the Malaysia Open and returned home due to “very personal problems” after winning his first round match against India’s H.S. Prannoy 21-19, 22-20.

In the women’s singles Malaysia’s hope Tee Jing Yi advanced to the second round with a 21-8, 21-13 win over Indonesia’s Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto.

jing.yi
Tee Jing Yi

FIRST ROUND RESULTS (Selected)

Men’s singles

Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin (Mas) beat Anthony Ginting (Ina) 21-16, 21-19

Chen Long (Chn) beat Marc Zwiebler (Ger) 21-19, 21-15

Hu Yun (Hkg) beat Ajay Jayaram (Ind) 21-17, 21-14

 

Women’s singles

Tee Jing Yi (Mas) beat Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto (Ina) 21-8, 21-13

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