Lee Zii Jia
Newly crowned world junior champion Goh Jin Wei took off from where she left in Markham, Canada when she marched into the second round in the USD150,000 Gwangju Korea Masters in Gwangju onĀ Wednesday.
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The 18-year-old Penangite advanced to the second round with a 21-7, 21-13 win over Soraya D Visch Eijbergen of the Netherlands to advance. The seventh-seeded Jin Wei will play China’s Zhang Yiman for a place in the quarterfinals. The Chinese defeated Isabel Zhong of the United States 23-21, 16-21, 21-13.
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Jin Wei has been on a winning streak in the junior championships in the last two months. She won the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina last month and regained her world junior title in Markham, Canada last week.
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Malaysia’s hope in the men’s singles Lee Zii Jia and compatriot Soong Joo Ven. Zii Jia, the TaiwanĀ Masters champion was stretched before he overcame Lin Yu-hsien of Chinese Taipei 23-21, 22-20.
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For a place in the quarter-finals, the Malaysian faces another Chinese Taipei hurdle in Yang Chih-chiehĀ who was promoted to the main draw from the qualifying rounds.
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Joo Ven will play Thailand’s fifth seed Khosit Phetpradap in the second round after coming through a three-game battle against Korea’s Ha Young-woongĀ 18-21, 21-12, 21-14.Ā
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Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong cleared their first hurdle but were made to struggle by Lee Sheng-mu-Yang Po-hsuan of Chinese Taipei in their 21-19, 24-22.
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The third seeds next play China’s Huang Kaixiang-Wang ZekangĀ who were promoted from the qualifying round. The Chinese upset homesters Ahn Jin-ha-Lim Ji-soo 19-21, 21-14, 21-14.
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Sixth seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik also made the second round with aĀ 21-13, 18-21, 21-19 over Koreans Jung Jung-young-Kim Dae-eun. They meet qualifiers Jung Jae-wook-Kim Hwi-taeĀ who ousted Malaysians Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan-shenĀ 19-21, 21-18, 22-20. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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