Datu Anif Isaac Datu Asrah and Dania Sofea Zaidi did not struggle too much in their first test in the Round of 32 of the Mixed Doubles PETRONAS Malaysia International Challenge 2025, as it took them just 18 minutes to book their place in the next round tomorrow at the Perak Arena Badminton in Ipoh.
The newly-announced world’s junior top pair – Dania Sofea and Datu Anif ranked individually first and second respectively – seemed determined to play a tight game to restrict compatriots Muhammad Zulhairi Sahimi-Wong Zi Yi.
The pair of 17-year-olds Datu Anif and Dania Sofea, who were denied the title at the PETRONAS Junior International Challenge in Perlis early last month, stormed to a 15-6, 15-9 victory.
In the Round of 16 tomorrow, Datu Anif and Dania Sofea will face another Malaysian pair in Muhammad Nurfirdaus Azman and Siti Nurshuhaini Azman.
Muhammad Nurfirdaus-Siti Nurshuhaini showed that they are not to be underrated when they demonstrated plenty of grit to overcome the fifth-seeded pair from India, Ishaan Bhatnagar and Aradhana Balachandra.
In the almost half-hour contest, Muhammad Nurfirdaus-Siti Nurshuhaini walked away 15-10, 15-13 winners to book their spot in the next round.
On the other hand, Malaysia’s top-ranked pair in the Mixed Doubles here in Ipoh – Ashraf Daniel Md Zakaria and Lim Xuan -could not fulfil their ranked as the second seed when they could not get the better of Kenzie Yoe-Luna Rianty Saffana from Indonesia.
Ashraf-Lim, winners at last year’s Uganda International Challenge, seemed a little off colour as they conceded to a quick 4-15, 3-15 defeat.
Kenzie-Luna’s opponents tomorrow will be recently-crowned Mixed Doubles champions at the PETRONAS Junior International Challenge, Loh Ziheng and Noraqilah Maisarah.
Ziheng-Noraqilah took just 17 minutes to dispose of team-mates Khai Zhe Pang-Xin Ying The, 15-8, 15-12, for their place in the Round of 16.
