Don’t lose focus: Ong Xin Yee will play Indonesian Ruzana Ruzana for a place in the last eight.
PETALING JAYA: One mission is accomplished in the Asian Junior Championships but the job is not done for shuttler Ung Yi Xing.
The 18-year-old exacted her revenge over Thailand rival Saranporn Sombutwatthananukool yesterday to set up a meeting against top seed and world junior champion Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan in the fourth round in Yogyakarta today.
Yi Xing had been disappointed after her failure to save Malaysia from the quarter-finals exit in the mixed team event last week when she lost tamely to Saranporn but yesterday, she rejoiced. She fought brilliantly to pull off a 21-19, 19-21, 21-16 win against the same player in the third round.
Team manager Joanne Quay praised the performance of Yi Xing but admitted that she had a tall order to progress into the last eight.
“Yi Xing played really well. There were some unforced errors and overexcitement, but she got her revenge eventually. She pulled through that game and won,” said Joanne.
“Her next game is against the top seed who is also the current world junior champion, it will be an uphill task.”
Yi Xing’s performance probably spurred her compatriots Ong Xin Yee and Siti Zulaikha Azmi who also advanced to the fourth round in contrasting styles.
Pumped-up Xin Yee came from behind to outplay Tran Thi Anh of Vietnam 18-21, 21-10, 21-17 and she now has a fighting chance against Indonesian Ruzana Ruzana for a place in the last eight.
Ung Yi Xing.
Zulaikha defeated Indonesia’s Azzahra Melani 21-13, 21-19 and has a battle in her hands when she faces second seed Sirada Roongpiboonsopit of Thailand.
On Xin Yee and Zulaikha, Joanne said: “They have higher chances of advancing. They just have to play true to their game. It depends on who can control the game better.”
Meanwhile, second seed Eogene Ewe failed to advance when he was beaten 21-16, 21-8 by unheralded Zhang Zhijie of China in the third round.
His defeat was made up by Mohd Faiq Haziq who had an easier job when he defeated Robert Ramos of the Philippines 21-12, 21-13 to check into the fourth round but his run may end today as will face another China player in Zhang Ning.
“Eogene couldn’t play his usual game. His opponent was putting a lot of pressure on him by playing an aggressive game,” said Joanne.
“This Chinese shuttler is a new player and we have never seen him play in any of the circuits before.
In the men’s doubles, China also served the killer blow as Chen Yongrui-Hu Keyuan upstaged top seeds Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai 21-16, 21-18 in the second round.
Malaysia’s campaign in the mixed doubles also ended when Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu lost 17-21, 15-21 to Chen Zhehan-Liao Lixi of China.
Malaysians unless stated
BOYS
SINGLES
Second round: Eogene Ewe bt Shopu Naimuddin (Ban) 21-6, 21-8; Yuna Nakagawa (Jpn) bt Sng Wei Ming 21-18, 21-13.
Third round: Mohd Faiq Haziq bt Robert Ramos (Phi) 21-12, 21-13; Zhang Zhijie (Chn) bt Eogene Ewe 21-16, 21-8;
DOUBLES
Second round: Chen Yongrui-Hu Keyuan (Chn) bt Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai 21-16, 21-18; Bryan Goonting-Low Han Chen bt Yuna Nakagawa-Rui Sato (Jpn) 21-14, 21-13; Loh Ziheng-Ahmad Redzuan bt Menula Chandrasegara-Anukh Pathirana (SL) 21-6, 21-5; Cho Hyun-woo-Lee Min Hook (Kor) bt Mihd Fai Haziq-Lok Hon Quan 21-18, 21-18. n GIRLS
SINGLES
Third round: Ung Yi Xing bt Saranporn Sombutwatthananukool (Tha) 21-19, 19-21, 21-16; Ong Xin Yee bt Tran Thi Anh (Vie) 18-21, 21-10, 21-17; Siti Zulaikha Azmi bt Azzahra Melani (Ina) 21-13, 21-19; Rakshitha Sree (Ind) bt Carine Tee 21-8, 21-10.
Doubles
Second round: Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting bt Liang Ka Wing-Yanes Wong Yan Lam (HK) 21-16, 21-18.
MIXED DOUBLES
Second round: Chen Zhehan-Liao Lixi (Chn) bt Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu 21-17, 21-15.
