Malaysia’s promising young women’s doubles pair Low Zi Yu/Noraqilah Maisarah saw their PERODUA Malaysia Masters 2026 campaign come to an end in the opening round at the UNIFI Arena today.

Thrown into the spotlight following the heartbreaking withdrawal of top seeds Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan, due to injury, the junior pair showed commendable fighting spirit in the morning session.

Facing Thailand Open champions Bao Li Jing/Cao Zi Han of China for the first time, Low/Noraqilah stayed competitive early on before eventually going down 18-21, 12-21 in 38 minutes.

There was also disappointment for debutants Cheng Su Hui/Tang Zhing Hui, who found the going tough against Japan’s fifth seeds and world No.18 pair Arisa Igarashi/Chiharu Shida. The Malaysians were beaten 8-21, 12-21 in just 30 minutes.

In the men’s doubles, Low Hang Yee/Ng Eng Cheong were unable to get past Japan’s eighth seeds Kakeru Kumagai/Hiroki Nishi, falling 9-21, 13-21 in 28 minutes.

Attention now turns to the afternoon session, with several key Malaysian players set to take centre stage.

In the men’s singles, Justin Hoh faces Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, while Leong Jun Hao takes on China’s fast-rising Hu Zhe An.

Malaysia will also be represented in the women’s singles, with Wong Ling Ching up against seventh seed Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam, while K. Letshanaa faces Switzerland’s Amalie Schulz.

All eyes, however, will be on mixed doubles second seeds Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei as the newly-crowned National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year open their campaign against Canada’s Jonathan Lai/Crystal Lai.

Another Malaysian mixed doubles pair, Hoo Pang Ron/Lai Pei Jing, will also be in action against China’s Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi.

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