It was an early exit for Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying in the 110th edition of the prestigious All-EnTan Kiagland Championships in Birmingham on Wednesday.The sixth-seeded Malaysians were crushed 16-21, 11-21 by Indonesia’s former world junior champions Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas Mentari in 33 minutes – their first defeat in three outings.
The defeat is certainly demoralizing for the Rio Olympics silver medallist as they chase their Tokyo Olympics dream.
It was also first-round blues for Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie who made the exit with a 12-21, 13-21 defeat at the hands of Koreans Seo Seung Jae-Chae Yujung in 30 minutes.
However, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing kept Malaysia’s interest in the mixed doubles with a 21-16, 21-11 win over Canadian Joshua Hurlburt Yu-Josephine Wu to advance.
They will next battle Indonesian fifth seeds Praveen Jordan-Melati Daeva Oktavianti who defeated Wang Chi Lin-Cheng Chi Ya 21-9, 21-18.
Last year’s runners-up Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik led Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s doubles – defeating compatriots Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani 21-15, 21-17 in 25 minutes.
For a place in the quarter-finals, the top-ranked Malaysian pair will next face Lu Ching Yao-Yang Po Han.
There was also delight in the women’s doubles when Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Men Yean stormed back from a first-game deficit to beat China’s Li Wen Mei-Zheng Yu 15-21, 21-15, 21-18 in a 62-minute thriller. They next play another Chinese pair – sixth seeds Du Yue-Li Yin Hui.
Keeping them company in the second round is Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen who cruised past the Swiss-Dutch combination of Nadia Fankhauser-Iris Tabeling 21-13, 21-17 to earn a second-round clash against Korea’s World No 9 Chang Ye Na-Kim Hye Rin.
Malaysia’s lone representative in the women’s singles Soniia Cheah was handed a 21-9, 21-11 defeat in the first round by Thailand’s former World No 1 Ratchanok Intanon.
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