Dania hits Purple patch as Maharani lift title

PETALING JAYA: Dania Sofea Zaidi (pic) showed just why she is one of the brightest badminton talents in the country at the moment when she steered Bandar Maharani BC to glory in the inaugural Top Glove Purple League Pro-Am team championship.

The 14-year-old outclassed Isabel Liau, a former national junior shuttler and five years older, 11-8, 11-6, 11-10 in the singles to help the Johor-based outfit whip Butterworth BC 9-1 at the Kompleks Kejiranan Presint 11 in Putrajaya yesterday.

Bandar Maharani got off to a flying start when Zachary Sia-Yap Yee and Tai Chuan Zhe both won their mixed doubles and men’s singles matches convincingly to race 6-1 ahead.

Zachary-Yap Yee defeated Tan Yi Han–Goh Jin Wei 10-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 while Chuan Zhe crushed Samuel Lee 11-7, 11-10, 11-7 to leave their teammate Dania to get the job done.

And Dania duly delivered with straight games to seal the stylish victory and the RM8,000 prize money.

The remaining men’s doubles and women’s doubles matches were not played as Bandar Maha-rani gained an unassailable lead.

The Purple League, since its inception in 2014, featured an unorthodox scoring format where the winners are determined by the number of games, rather than matches, won.

This was not the first time Dania made her presence felt.

Earlier in March, she bagged the Under-15 title at the Purple League Junior.

“This victory has raised my spirit and I promise to train vigorously to represent our nation one day,” said Dania who is the undisputed national Under-12 champion, sweeping both the National Junior Grand Prix Finals and the National School Sports Council (MSSM) in 2019.

Bandar Maharani team manager Eric Chan commended Dania for her outstanding performance during the event.

“Sofea has been exceptional for our team throughout the tournament contributing the most points for us,” he said.

Former national women’s singles ace Jin Wei also showed she has not lost her touch since her surprise retirement due to illness in September.

Although she lost, the 21-year-old was instrumental in helping Butterworth BC reach the final.

In the semi-finals, she won both of her doubles and mixed doubles matches in her team’s 11-7 win over Ampang Jaya BC.

RESULTS

FINAL

Bandar Maharani BC bt Butterworth BC 9-1 (Zachary Sia-Yap Yee bt Tan Yi Han-Goh Jin Wei 10-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7; Tai Chuan Zhe bt Samuel Lee 11-7, 11-10, 11-7; Dania Sofea Zaidi bt Isabel Liau 11-8, 11-6, 11-10).

SEMI-FINALS

Butterworth BC bt Ampang Jaya BC 11-7 (Goh Jin Wei-Tan Yi Yan bt Lim Tze Jian-Wong Kha Yan 11-5, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7; Samuel Lee bt Tan Jia Jie 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7; Isabel Liau bt Erica Hoh 10-11, 11-10, 10-11, 11-6, 11-6; Chee Yik Shen-Teh Zi Yi lost to Lau Yi Sheng-Lee Yi Bo 8-11, 6-11, 3-11; Goh Jin Wei-Teoh Le Xuan bt Tang Wen Xin-Wong Kha Yan 11-6, 11-8); Bandar Maharani BC bt Serdang BC (Zachary Sia-Yap Yee bt Boon Xin Yuan-Tan Yan Yi 10-11, 11-4, 11-10, 11-7; Tai Chuan Zhe bt Too Ming Yap 11-3, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6; Dania Sofea Zaidi bt Teh Won Quin 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7); Ching Kai Feng-Wee Yee Hern bt Wong Tien Ci-Yap Qar Siong 11-9).