Kuala Lumpur: National pair Vivian Hoo/Woon Khe Wei held off Du Yue/Li Yin Hui from the host country to book a berth in the quarterfinals of the 2015 China Masters in Changzhou, China, today.
The pair had to dig deep to overcome the Chinese 18-21, 21-18, 21-12 in their women’s doubles match. Malaysia’s top-seeded pair lost the first set 18-21, but came back strongly to take the second 21-18 and force the match into a deciding set that the Commonwealth gold medal winners won after moving into top gear 21-12.
The world No 13 pair will face Japan’s Arisa Higashino/Chisato Hoshi tomorrow after the Japanese defeated Thailand’s Supanida Katethong/Panjarat Pransopon 21-12, 21-15.
Compatriots Lim Yin Loo/Lee Meng Yean were, however, shown the exit by unseeded Taiwan pair Cheng Wen Hsing/Shuai Pei Ling 23-21, 21-19.
Men’s doubles pair Hoon Thien How/Lim Khim Wah, who were making their first international appearance since leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) fold last month, also advanced to the quarterfinal after outclassing Singaporean pair Terry Hee Yong Kai/Hendra Wijaya 21-19, 21-11. The Malaysian pair will face unseeded Liao Min Chun/Tseng Min Hao of Taiwan, who caused a major upset by beating top-seeded Chinese pair Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan 21-17, 23-21.
Two other Malaysian men’s doubles pairs failed to advance. Tan Wee Gieen/Teo Ee Yi lost to Chinese pair Huang Kaixiang/Yu Xiaoyu 22-24, 19-21 while Chooi Kah Ming/Ow Yao Han were defeated by another pair from the host country, Wang Yilv/Zhang Wen 10-21, 16-21.
Three Malaysian mixed-doubles pairs advanced to the quarterfinals. Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying beat China’s He Jiting/Du Yue 21-15, 21-13 while Tan Aik Quan/Lai Pei Jing overcame Singapore’s Terry Hee Yong Kai/Tan Wei Han 21-14, 21-17.
Tan Chee Tean/Shevon Lai Jemie advanced after overcoming Chooi Kah Ming/Lee Meng Yean 17-21, 21-16, 21-16 in an all-Malaysian second-round thriller.
The biggest disappointment was the loss of former All-England champion Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, who was stunned by China’s 17-year-old Lin Gui Pu 15-21, 22-20, 21-16 on his return to action.
Hafiz was the sole Malaysian in the men’s singles competition while the BAM did not send any women’s singles players for the Grand Prix Gold tournament, which offers prize money of US$250,000 (RM926,990). — Bernama
