Last minute inclusion Cheam June Wei made the main draw in the Badminton Asia Championships in Wuhan, China after winning both his qualifying round matches on Tuesday.
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However, the 22-year-old Penangite nearly bit the dust at the Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium in his second match against Sri Lanka veteran Olympian Niluka Karunaratne.
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It was touch and go affair in the 62-minute decider before June Wei prevailed 21-11, 19-21, 21-18 to earn a first-round match against Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin.
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In the first match June Wei, who made the trip to Wuhan after head coach Datuk Misbun Sidek dropped Lee Zii Jia, eased past Iran’s Amir Jabbari 21-13, 21-14.
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“I was nervous against Niluka after my opponent changed his play style and won the second to force a decider. Luckily I managed to keep my cool and kept pace to win,” said June Wei.
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June Wei goes into the match against Thammasin on equal footing with the head-to-head count standing at 1-1 in their previous two meetings.
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“The win over Niluka has given me some confidence and I hope to stay alive in Wuhan. I am slowly getting back my rhythm after injuries nearly floored my badminton career.”
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Meanwhile, in the mixed doubles, fifth seeds Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying cleared the first hurdle after coming through three-games to prevail 13-21, 22-20, 21-18 in 57 minutes against Singapore’s Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Tan Wei Har.
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“It was not a good game for us. I am still recovering from cough and fever but still, it is good to win the first match,” said Liu Ying.
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Two other Malaysian pairs – Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei – fell at the first hurdle.
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Kian Meng-Pei Jing ranked 38, came unstuck against top seeds and world No 1 Zheng Siwei who won 21-12, 14-21, 21-15 – a defeat that could spoil their hopes of playing in the Sudirman Cup next month.
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Tang Jie-Yen Wei went out in straight games – losing to Hong Kong China’s Yeung Ming Nok-Ng Tsz Yau 15-21, 21-17. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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