Oo Shan Zi’s reliance on ‘patience and consistency’ saw her storm into the semifinals of the Women’s Singles first leg, PETRONAS National Under-21 Championship 2026, with ease when she overcame ranked 5th/8th Ung Yi Xing in straight set at the Perak BA Hall today.
The 19-year-old from Penang, who was the runner-up at the LI-NING Vietnam International Series 2025 and quarter-finalist at the WONDR by BNI Indonesia International Challenge II 2025, took just 25 minutes to chalk the 15 7, 15-9 victory.
“My strength was patience and consistency, which helped me handle the longer rallies effectively,” said Shan Zi, who was seeded 3rd/4th.
“The strategy was to stay patient and focus on playing consistent rallies, so I tried to control the pace of the game and make smart shots without taking unnecessary risks.
“She (Yi Xing) is my senior and a former BAM player with strong skills and experience. Maybe since the rallies were shorter than usual, I focused on staying consistent and keeping control throughout the match.”
In the semifinals, Shan Zi will have to muster her best when she faces second-seeded Eng Ler Qi.
The 18-year-old lass from Selangor confirmed her slot in the semifinals of the Women’s Singles with a 20-minute workout over Lau Xin En.
Ler Qi, who were the semifinalists at last year’s PETRONAS National Under-21 and U18 national tournaments, played her usual cool game to overcome 15-year-old Xin En 15-8, 15-2.
ENDS
