Shun Yang puts on shoddy show against 16-year-old Finn

PETALING JAYA: It can’t get any worse than this – a Malaysian shuttler was beaten by a Finnish opponent.

That happened at the World Junior Championships in Kazan, Russia yesterday when the nation’s second highest ranked boys’ singles shuttler Lee Shun Yang went down 22-20,16-21,16-21 to Joakim Oldorff in the first round.

While the world No. 28 Oldorff is certainly a formidable opponent given that he’s ranked higher than world No. 67 Shun Yang, it’s simply unacceptable for the Malaysian to lose to his opponent who’s two years younger.

Shun Yang is 18.

But to Oldorff’s credit, he has built a good reputation in the European junior circuit having made three Under-17 finals and won a title last year.

The boy could be well on his way to become his country’s next top player after Ville Lang, the 2014 Scottish Open champion, who was best remembered for stretching Lee Chong Wei to three games in the first round of the 2012 London Olympics.

National junior head coach Kwan Yoke Meng admitted Shun Yang could have played better.

“The Finnish boy is quite good, experienced and played smart but Shun Yang didn’t play to his best, ” lamented Yoke Meng.

However, three other singles players – Jacky Kok Jing Hong, Mohd Shaqeem Eiman Shahyar (pic) and Wyman Goh – safely negotiated their way to the second round.

Jacky easily ousted Singapore’s Benjamin Lee 21-10,21-11 while Shaqeem made short work of Jonas Osthassel of Norway 21-4,21-5.

Wyman huffed and puffed his way to a 21-12,17-21,21-10 win over Holland’s Finn Achthoven.

K. Letshanaa and Arena Satu Samin are also through to the next round in the girls’ singles.

Letshanaa powered past Norway’s Emilia Petersen Norberg 21-7,21-6 while Arena beat Scotland’s Rachel Cameron 21-12,21-10.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

(Malaysians only)

Boys’ singles: Mohd Shaqeem Eiman Shahyar (Mas) bt Jonas Osthassel (Nor) 21-4,21-5; Jacky Kok Jing Hong (Mas) bt Benjamin Lee (Sin) 21-10,21-11; Wyman Goh (Mas) bt Finn Achthoven (Ned) 21-12,17-21,21-10; Joakim Oldorff (Fin) bt Lee Shun Yang (Mas) 20-22,21-16,21-16.

Girls’ singles: K. Letshanaa (Mas) bt Emilia Petersen Norberg (Nor) 21-7,21-6; Arena Satu Samin (Mas) bt Rachel Cameron (Sco) 21-12,21-10.