Is the end near for Peng Soon-Liu Ying after first-round exit in Odense?

Dismal show: Chan Peng Soon (left) and Goh Liu Ying were sent packing by No. 33 Ng Wing Yung-Chang Tak Ching 17-21, 19-21 in 37 minutes.

PETALING JAYA: Could this be the beginning of the end for Malaysia’s most decorated mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying?

The world No. 8 didn’t seem like they have recovered from their dismal campaign at the Tokyo Olympics after suffering a shocking first-round exit at the Denmark Open in Odense yesterday.

The out-of-sorts Peng Soon-Liu Ying were sent packing by No. 33 Ng Wing Yung-Chang Tak Ching 17-21, 19-21 in 37 minutes.

In Tokyo three months ago, the Rio Olympics silver medallists ended their second Olympics outing without a single win from their three matches.

Although they look like they are past their prime, Liu Ying had said previously that they would play on at least until the end of this year before making a decision on their future.

In the men’s doubles, world No. 8 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik showed no signs of fatigue as they kicked off their third tournament in as many weeks with an easy 21-17, 21-9 win in just 23 minutes against Ruben Jille-Ties Van Der Lecq of Holland.

The win set up a last-16 meeting with Japan’s Akira Koga-Taichi Saito, who were stretched to the limit by compatriots Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi 21-18, 19-21, 21-14.

Professional shuttlers Goh V Shem-Low Juan Shen were the other Malaysian pair in action but they found reigning Olympics champions Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin of Taiwan simply too hot to handle.

V Shem-Juan Shen’s partnership debut lasted just 32 minutes as they went down 14-21, 18-21.

Meanwhile, national singles ace Lee Zii Jia survived an early scare on his first return to the World Tour since his All-England triumph.

The world No. 8 fended off stiff challenge from Taiwan’s Wang Tzu-wei to win 12-21, 21-9, 21-18.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Men’s singles: Anders Antonsen (Den) bt Rasmus Gemke (Den) 21-16, 22-20; Kanta Tsuneyama (Jpn) bt Heo Kwang-hee (Kor) 21-23, 21-14, 21-18; Ng Ka Long (Hkg) bt Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) 22-20, 21-19; Lee Zii Jia (Mas) bt Wang Tzu-wei (Tpe) 12-21, 21-9, 21-18; Lu Guangzu (Chn) bt Brice Leverdez (Fra) 21-23, 21-10, 21-6.

Men’s doubles: Marcus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya (Ina) bt Christo Popov-Toma Popov (Fra) 21-14, 21-19; Kim Astrup-Anders Rasmussen (Den) bt Daniel Lundgaard-Mathias Thyrri (Den) 21-7, 21-14; Pramudya Kusumawardana-Yeremia Erich (Ina) bt Jones Jansen-Jan Volker (Ger) 21-15, 21-19; Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin (Tpe) bt Goh V Shem-Low Juan Shen (Mas) 21-14, 21-18; Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt Ruben Jille-Ties Van Der Lecq (Ned) 21-17, 21-9; Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) bt He Jiting-Tan Qiang (Chn) 21-13, 21-10; Akira Koga-Taichi Saito (Jpn) bt Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi (Jpn)21-18, 19-21, 21-14; Mark Lamsfuss-Marvin Seidel (Ger) bt Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) 21-17, 21-13.

*Matches involving Malaysians only

Women’s doubles: Maiken Fruergaard-Sara Thygesen (Den) bt Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien (Mas) 21-15, 21-16.

Mixed doubles: Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (Mas) bt Hafiz Faizal-Gloria Widjaja 21-17, 21-14; Dhruv Kapila-N. Sikki Reddy (Ind) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See (Mas) 14-21, 21-17, 21-18; Chang Tak Ching-Ng Wing Yung (Hkg) bt Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) 21-17, 21-19.