Mulheim: Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong were Malaysia’s only representatives into the second round of the German Open at the RWE-Sporthalle stadium, Mülheim, Germany on Wednesday.
Goh/Tan put up a superb performance to overcome local shuttlers Raphael Beck/Peter Kaesbauer of Germany, 21-17 and 21-16 in the first round of the men’s doubles.
The pair are set to meet second seeds Chai Biao/Hong Wei of China in the second round tomorrow.
Chai Biao/Hong Wei breezed through to the second round in just 26 minutes, beating Zvonimir Durkinjak/Zvonimir Hoelbling from Croatia 21-13, 21-13.
Former World No. 1 Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia put up a good fight, but men’s doubles third seeds Hiroyuki Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan were playing at a different level beating Koo/Tan 21-18, 21-14.
The biggest upset of the day in men’s doubles was when fourth seeds Kim Gi Jung/Kim Sa Rang of Korea were defeated by Lee Sheng Mu/Tsai Chia Hsin of Taiwan, losing 23-25, 21-19, 19-21 to the Taiwanese pair in 58 minutes.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair of Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying failed to make the second round after losing 19-21, 14-21 to unseeded Robert Mateusiak/Nadiezda Zieba of Poland.
Malaysia did not send any representatives in the singles and the women’s doubles. The tournament offers total prize of US$120,000.
