Kong Wei Xiang took another step towards being Malaysia’s next badminton star when he captured the Men’s Singles crown in the first-leg, PETRONAS National Under-21 Championship here at the Perak BA Hall this morning.
The 17-year-old Wei Xiang, who had taken the Men’s Singles title of the PETRONAS National U18 Championship at the same venue last year, was just in his element when he beat another 5th/8th ranked player in Muhammad Haziq Mohd Najib in straight set 15-13, 16-14.
“Physical fitness was the deciding factor as I focused on maintaining a high pace throughout the match, trusting that my endurance would give me the edge as the rallies progressed. I kept telling myself to stay focused point-by-point. That belief kept me positive,” said Wei Xiang, who will be competing in the Badminton Asia Team Championship (BATC) from 3-8 February 2026.
“My main motivation is to catch up to the seniors, who set a very high standard, and performing well here is a step toward that, and it’s crucial for me to qualify for higher-level tournaments and continue progressing.
“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to represent the team at (BATC). I will prepare my best, focusing on strengthening all aspects of my game, to expedite my growth and reach the highest level I possibly can in the tournament.”
In the meantime, Low Han Chen and Chan Wen Tse lived up to their top billing to claim the Mixed Doubles crown.
20-year-old Han Chen from Kuala Lumpur and 19-year-old Wen Tse from Kelantan showed progress from their positive performance at last year’s Guwahati Masters in India, to snuff out the challenge of second-seeded pair Loh Ziheng and Nicole Tan Pei En 15-11, 15-11 in just half an hour.
However, there was an upset in the final of the Women’s Singles when Oo Shan Zi overcame her 3rd/4th ranking to beat top seed Lim Zhi Shin, who was also the defending champion.
The 19-year-old Shan Zi, who was the runner-up at the LI-NING Vietnam International Series last year, showed sheer determination to chalk the straight set 16-14, 15-4 victory.
The hope for Genevie Lim Tsin Yeen and Wafa Shahmina Rahman from Sarawak for their first PETRONAS National U21 Women’s Doubles crown was dashed when they could not get the better of Lee Yu Shan-Wong Zi Yi from Selangor.
Yu Shan-Zi Yi took 25 minutes to win 15-7, 15-11.
In the final of the Men’s Doubles, top seed Muhammad Shazmir Irfan Shahrul-Damien Ling Tang Le from BAM faced little difficulty to take the title with a 15-8, 15-12 win over Daniel Tan Ying Enn-Yusuf Daneel Luqman Hakim.
PETRONAS NATIONAL U21 CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025 (FIRST LEG).
RESULTS – ALL FINALS
WOMEN’S DOUBLES: Lee Yu Shan-Wong Zi Yi bt Genevie Lim Tsin Yeen-Wafa Shahmina Rahman 15-7, 15-11
MIXED DOUBLES: Low Han Chen-Chan Wen Tse bt Loh Ziheng-Nicole Tan Pei En 15-11, 15-11
WOMEN’S SINGLES: Oo Shan Zi bt Lim Zhi Shin 16-14, 15-4
MEN’S SINGLES: Kong Wei Xiang bt Muhammad Haziq Mohd Najib 15-13, 16-14
MEN’S DOUBLES: Muhammad Shazmir Irfan Shahrul-Damien Ling Tang Le bt Daniel Tan Ying Enn-Yusuf Daneel Luqman Hakim 15-8, 15-12
ENDS
