Defending champions Penang made a superb start on the opening day of the PETRONAS National Interstate Under-18 Mixed Team Championships 2025 when they romped to two wins from two matches in their Group A campaign here at the PBA Hall in Bukit Dambar.
They started the morning with a 6-1 win over Negeri Sembilan before annihilating Terengganu 7-0 in the afternoon.
Fresh from their outing at the PETRONAS International Challenge just last week, Tan Zhi Yang and Nicole Tan Pei En are not showing any sign of a let-up when they overwhelmed Goh Shu Xuan-Zi Rong Ayu 21-7, 21-12 in their Mixed Doubles encounter.
There was no looking back for Penang from there on as Oo Shan Zi racked up the second victory in the Women’s Singles, up to Kong Wei Xiang in the Men’s Singles, who struggled somewhat before winning 21-16, 21-13 over Goh Shu Xuan in 45 minutes.
The Men’s Doubles turned out to be a battle as Fu Sheng Ayu-Zi Hin Heng made a game of it to take the first and only point for Negeri Sembilan when they recorded the 21-14, 17-21, 21-19 win over Penang’s Muhamad Adam Haris-Nixon Ang Jia Shen.
But Penang would wrap up the match 6-1 for their first win in Group A, with Christine Lam Mei Yi-Nicole Chau Xuan needing just 18 minutes to outgun Ing Xin Kok-Wen Pei Lee 21-3, 21-6 in the Women’s Doubles.
The script was almost the same for Penang in the afternoon, where this time though, they showed total control against a Terengganu side that was struggling to make headway.
After Zhi Yang-Nicole’s second win of the day in the Mixed Doubles, Terengganu tried to make a game of it in the first Men’s Singles, but Faris Iskandar Faizal fell just a little short of the mark when he conceded to the 15-21, 19-21 loss to Louis Lee Qi Jun in 37 minutes.
That was the only semblance of resistance from Terengganu, as Penang then ensured that their desire to defend the crown they had won the previous year remained intact.
Muhamad Adam-Nixon would wrap up the match for Penang with victory in the Men’s Doubles when they coast past Faris Iskandar Faizal-Zulfadhly Iman Zulkamal 21-11, 21-17.
