Chooi Kah Ming (left) and Teo Ee Yi were on top of their game as they defeated Taiwan
PETALING JAYA: World No. 48 Chooi Kah Ming-Teo Ee Yi served up a pleasant surprise by dumping eighth seeds Liang Jui-wei-Liao Kuan-hao in the men’s doubles first round of the Taiwan Open badminton championships in Taipei.
The national back-up pair, whose previous best result was a runners-up finish at the Malaysia International Challenge in Kuching last year, were on top of their game as they defeated the world No. 24 Taiwanese 21-12, 21-12.
Another back-up pair – Tai An Khang-Woon Mun Choon – also passed their first test by eliminating Taiwanese Liu Wei-chen-Yang Po-han 21-17, 21-15.
A third Malaysian pair – professionals Mak Hee Chun-Chow Pak Chuu – also pulled through with an impressive 21-19, 16-21, 21-19 win over reigning Asian junior champions Huang Kaixiang-Zheng Siwei of China.
Hee Chun-Pak Chuu will take on Indonesia’s Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pankaryanira-Ade Yusuf in Thursday’s second round. The unseeded Indonesians stunned third seeds and home favourites Lee Sheng-me-Tsai Chia-hsin 21-19, 22-20.
“We’re happy to go through. We’ll definitely try to do better in the next round,” said Hee Chun.
In the men’s singles, only two Malaysians – Thomas Cupper Goh Soon Huat and independent shuttler Tan Chun Seang – survived the cut.
Soon Huat was stretched to the limit by Taiwan’s Shih Kuei-chun before winning 21-19, 18-21, 22-20 to set up a clash with five-time world champion Lin Dan of China on Thursday.
Chun Seang, the 14th seed, struggled to down homester Chu Han-chou 21-6, 20-22, 21-17. He will meet Japan’s Riichi Takeshita next.
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