Mixed fortunes for men's doubles pair, Jing Yi bows out

Malaysia men's doubles pair Tan Wee Kiong (right) and Goh V Shem celebrate their 15-21, 21-12, 22-20 win over Taiwanese pair Lee Sheng Mu-Tsai Chia Hsian in the first round at the Gyeyang Gymnasium on Wednesday. By Izzrafiq Alias/TheStar.

INCHEON: There were mixed fortunes for Malaysia in the men’s doubles competition at the Gyeyang Gymnasium. 

Commonwealth Games champions Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong enjoyed a good day, sending world No. 6 Lee Sheng-mu-Tsai Chia-hsin of Taiwan packing 15-21, 21-12, 22-20 in 44 minutes in the first round. 

Unseeded V Shem-Wee Kiong will play Patiphat Chalardchalaem-Wannawat Ampunsuwan of Thailand for a place in the quarter-finals today. And they are the only Malaysian pair remaining in the competition.

Tan Boon Heong, who won the gold with Koo Kien Keat in Doha in 2006, had a miserable day.

Boon Heong, who is partnering Hoon Thien How, withdrew after he aggravated a thigh muscle injury during warm-up for yesterday’s first-round clash with China’s Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan.

Doubles coach Pang Cheh Chang said Boon Heong went for a medical check-up and the doctor found a two-centimetre muscle tear on his right thigh. 

In women’s singles, Tee Jing Yi lost 15-21, 16-21 to Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the first round but Yang Li Lian earned a place in the second round without lifting a racquet after Maisa Fathuhulla Ismail of Maldives conceded a walkover. 

But Li Lian is not expected to go far as she plays Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea in the last 16 today. 

World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei will open his campaign in the men’s singles second round today, taking on Umer Zeeshan of Pakistan.

Chong Wei Feng, the second Malaysian representative, faces world champion Chen Long of China, also in the second round.