Malaysia mixed double Tan Kian Meng - Lai Pei Jing in action against China's Wang Yilyu - Huang Dongping at semi-final match for the Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open 2019 at Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur. FAIHAN GHANI/The Star.
PETALING JAYA: Shuttlers Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing failed in their bid to win their first international title in two years.
The mixed doubles pair, who won the Malaysia Masters in 2017, fell 14-21, 6-21 to Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in the Singapore Open final on Sunday (April 14).
Kian Meng-Pei Jing had no answer to the aggressive play of the Thai third-seeded pair, who took just 33 minutes to seal victory.
The unseeded Kian Meng-Pei Jing reached the final with a hard-fought 21-16, 20-22, 22-20 semi-final victory over seventh seeds Hafiz Faizal-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja of Indonesia on Saturday.
Their Thai counterparts stunned world No. 1 Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong of China 24-22, 21-19 in the other semi-final match.
With their defeat, Malaysia failed to retain the Singapore Open mixed doubles title as defending champions Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
