The home team emerged triumphant with two titles on the final day of competition at the PETRONAS Malaysia Junior International Challenge 2025 at the Wawasan Hall in Perlis.
The Malaysian contingent landed the Mixed Doubles title through Loh Ziheng and Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan before adding another through the Girlsâ Doubles duo of Low Zi Yu and Dania Sofea Zaidi.
In the All-Malaysian final of the Mixed Doubles, second-seeded Ziheng-Noraqilah proved that their win of the crown at the PETRONAS National Under-18 Championships earlier this year was no fluke.
Up against the same top pair of Datu Anif Isaac Datu Asrah and Dania Sofea, in the final of the PETRONAS Malaysia Junior International Challenge 2025 this time around, Ziheng-Noraqilah had to play the patient game.
With Datu Anif-Dania Sofea anxious to make up for the defeat at their last meeting, the 22-20 win of the first set was to be their only salvation.
The 18-year-old Ziheng and Noraqilah, who will also turned 18 next week, were not about to be denied as they raised the stakes to take the second set 21-15 and the third 21-12 for the well-worked victory in 54 minutes.
Ziheng, who is fast becoming a Doubles Specialists, almost landed the double but was denied in the final of the Boysâ Doubles alongside partner Tan Zhi Yang.
Despite going in as the top seed, Ziheng and Zhi Yang just could not muster enough staying power even though they did take the first set 21-18.
But perhaps playing at home did not come with its own added pressure which Alexius Ongkytama Subagio and Aquino Evano Keneddy Tangka from Indonesia were quick to capitalise on.
The third seeded Alexius-Aquino did not capitulate as they fought back to take the next two sets 21-19, 22-20 to deny the Malaysians victory on home soil.
On the other hand, Malaysiaâs rising star Low Zi Yu made up for her disappointment in the Girlsâ Singles with victory in the Girlsâ Doubles with partner Dania Sofea.
But realistically, the victory was really beyond doubt where other than being the Girlsâ Doubles top seed, Zi Yu-Dania Sofea were the silver medallists at last yearâs World Junior Badminton Championship.
And rightly so, in the final, the two Johor lasses Zi Yu and Dania Sofea took just 36 minutes to outplay Thailandâs Deearom sisters – Khanaphon and Thanaphon â 21-11, 21-19.
In the meantime, the Boysâ Singles title went to top seed Lam Ka To from Hong Kong, who overcame Indonesiaâs Radithya Bayu Wardhana 21-8, 21-9 while the Girlsâ Singles crown went to Thailandâs Tonrug Saeheng.
Tonrug lived up to her billing as the No. 1 to outplay unheralded Ip Sum Yau from Hong Kong, 21-18, 15-21, 21-17.
