Top show: Leong Jun Hao will most likely be fielded against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan or Yohanes Saut Marcellyno.
PETALING JAYA: Shuttlers Leong Jun Hao and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are crucial to Malaysia’s hopes of beating Indonesia and reaching the quarter-finals of the Asia Mixed Team Championships.
Malaysia face Indonesia today in a crunch Group B tie and need to win to progress to the last eight after losing 2-3 to Hong Kong in the opening match yesterday.In the men’s singles, world No. 28 Jun Hao was rested against Hong Kong and is likely to feature against Indonesia.
Youngster Justin Hoh was surprisingly selected against Hong Kong and went down 19-21, 16-21 to world No. 21 Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Indonesia, who are almost assured of reaching the quarter-finals after thrashing an understrength Hong Kong side 5-0 on Tuesday, have the option of selecting either world No. 43 Alwi Farhan or world No. 63 Yohanes Saut Marcellyno against Malaysia.
2023 World Junior champion Alwi showed that he was no pushover when he stunned world No. 20 Angus Ng Ka Long in his team’s win over Hong Kong.
Jun Hao has never played against both the 19-year-old and Yohanes before this but needs to use all his experience to give Malaysia an important point.
Malaysia also need Wei Chong-Kai Wun to step up in the men’s doubles.
The world No. 12 duo have been on top form recently, capturing the Indonesian Masters title and reaching the Malaysian Open semi-finals last month.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun also easily won their match against Hong Kong’s Hung Kuei Chun-Lui Chun Wai 21-13, 21-11.
The pair are likely to be fielded again against Indonesia over world No. 18 Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and have a tricky test against either Shohibul Fikri-Daniel Marthin or Rahmat Hidayat-Yeremia Rambitan.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun have vowed to continue giving their very best after their opening win.
“We are just focusing on our own match without thinking too much. Every player is going all out and we will too,” said Wei Chong.
“We have more pressure on us and we need to handle the expectations well.”
Malaysia’s hopes also rest on the mixed doubles where world No. 4 Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are expected to start ahead of world No. 15 Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin.
Pang Ron-Su Yin battled hard before losing 21-17, 17-21, 11-21 to Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man-Ng Tsz Yau.
Soon Huat-Shevon hold the advantage against Indonesia as they have beaten both Rinov Rivaldy-Lisa Ayu and Dejan Ferdinansyah-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti last month.
Malaysia’s chances though look slim in both the women’s singles and doubles.
In the singles, world No. 53 K. Letshanaa faces a difficult task against either world No. 14 Putri Kusuma or world No. 40 Komang Ayu.
In the doubles, Indonesia also have the advantage as they can choose to field either world No. 32 Siti Fadia-Lanny Tria or world No. 60 Meilysa Trias-Rachel Allessya while Malaysia will be banking on Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee (No. 48).
RESULTS
Group B: Hong Kong bt Malaysia 3-2 (Tang Chun Man-Ng Tsz Yau bt Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin 17-21, 21-17, 21-11; Saloni Samirbhai lost to K. Letshanaa 18-21, 18-21; Lee Cheuk Yiu bt Justin Hoh 21-19, 21-16; Yeung Nga Ting-Yeung Pui Lam bt Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee 21-17, 21-14; Hung Kuei Chun-Lui Chun Wai lost to Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun 13-21, 11-21).
