Men's doubles pair Aaron Chia (left) and Soh Wooi Yik were part of the team that went down 0-3 to China in the Asia Team Championships final. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
SHAH ALAM: Malaysia could not defend the men's team title in the Asia Team Championships after losing 0-3 to China in the final on Sunday (Feb 18).
In the first singles, world No. 38 Leong Jun Hao lost out 19-21, 17-21 to world No. 16 Weng Hongyang.
Hopes were on national No. 1 men's doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to level the tie but the duo surprisingly went down 16-21, 21-16, 21-23 to unheralded pair Xie Haonan-Zeng Weihan.
19-year-old Eogene Ewe then had to win to save the tie but found world No. 35 Lei Lanxi a tough nut to crack and lost out 10-21, 14-21 to hand victory to China.
RESULTS
FINAL
Men’s team:
China bt Malaysia 3-0
- Weng Hongyang bt Leong Jun Hao 21-19, 21-17;
- Xie Haonan-Zeng Weihan bt Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik 21-16, 16-21, 23-21;
- Lei Lanxi bt Eogene Ewe 21-10, 21-14
Women’s team
India bt Thailand 3-2
- PV Sindhu bt Supanida Katethong 21-12, 21-12;
- Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand bt Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai 21-16, 18-21, 21-16;
- Ashmita Chaliha lost to Busanan Ongbamrungphan 11-21, 14-21;
- Priya Konjengbam-Shruti Mishra lost to Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard 11-21, 9-21;
- Anmol Kharb bt Pornpicha Choeikeewong 21-14, 21-9
