Sydney: Malaysia’s Justin Hoh continued his impressive run at the Australia Open after defeating Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen to reach the men’s singles quarterfinals on Thursday.
The world No. 47 Malaysian showed maturity and control in a tight second-round badminton match, beating Nhat, ranked No. 24 in the world, 21-17, 21-19 in 55 minutes.
The victory moved Justin into the last eight of the Super 500 tournament and brought him closer to one of his best results of the season on the BWF World Tour.
Justin started strongly and took the opening game 21-17 after staying more consistent during the longer rallies. The second game was more competitive, with Nhat trying to push the match into a decider, but Justin stayed calm during the important points and finished the contest in straight games.
His next challenge will come against Indonesia’s Moh Zaki Ubaidillah, who is ranked world No. 35. The quarterfinal meeting is expected to be a tougher test as Justin looks to book a place in the semifinals.
Wong Ling Ching Exits in Second Round
Malaysia’s women’s singles campaign came to an end after Wong Ling Ching lost in the second round.
The world No. 34 Malaysian was beaten by Taiwan’s Huang Yu-Hsun, ranked world No. 31, 18-21, 19-21 in 38 minutes.
Ling Ching stayed close in both games and tried to apply pressure in the closing stages, but Huang was steadier when it mattered most. The defeat ended Ling Ching’s run after her hard-fought opening-round win earlier in the tournament.
Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Continue Breakthrough Run
Malaysia’s young women’s doubles pair Low Zi Yu and Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan also advanced to the quarterfinals with another confident performance in Sydney.
After stunning Taiwan’s second seeds in the opening round, the world No. 84 pair backed up that result by defeating Australia’s Jazmine Lam and Yee-Yuan Lim 21-9, 21-18.
Zi Yu and Noraqilah needed only 26 minutes to complete the win and secure their place among the final eight pairs at the Australia Open.
The Malaysians dominated the first game from the beginning, playing with speed, discipline, and clear attacking intent to win 21-9. The Australian pair offered more resistance in the second game, but Zi Yu and Noraqilah kept their composure and closed out the match 21-18.
The result continues an excellent week for the young Malaysian pair, who are gaining valuable experience and confidence at the Super 500 level.
Indonesian Seventh Seeds Await in Quarterfinals
Low Zi Yu and Noraqilah Maisarah will face Indonesia’s seventh seeds Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Trias Puspitasari in the quarterfinals.
The Indonesian pair, ranked world No. 15, will provide the biggest test so far for the Malaysians. After already beating a top-seeded pair earlier in the tournament, Zi Yu and Noraqilah will need another brave and disciplined performance to continue their run.
A place in the semifinals would be a major achievement for the Malaysian duo and another positive sign for the country’s women’s doubles development.
Chia Wei Jie-Teo Ee Yi Bow Out
Malaysia’s professional men’s doubles pair Chia Wei Jie and Teo Ee Yi were unable to join Zi Yu and Noraqilah in the quarterfinals after losing in the second round.
The world No. 152 pair started well against Taiwan’s Chen Cheng Kuan and Liu Kuang Heng, winning the first game 21-13.
However, the Taiwanese pair, ranked world No. 174, responded strongly and took the next two games 21-18, 21-17 to complete a comeback victory in 53 minutes.
The 21-13, 18-21, 17-21 defeat was a missed opportunity for Wei Jie and Ee Yi, who had looked in control early but could not maintain their momentum across the full match.
Malaysia Keeps Quarterfinal Hopes Alive in Sydney
It was a productive day for Malaysian badminton at the Australia Open, with Justin Hoh and Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah both reaching the quarterfinals.
Justin’s win over Nhat Nguyen was a strong statement in men’s singles, while Zi Yu and Noraqilah continued one of the most encouraging Malaysian storylines of the tournament.
With quarterfinal places secured, Malaysia still has clear hopes of pushing deeper into the Super 500 event in Sydney.
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