KUALA LUMPUR: Men's singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao overcame a stern challenge to book his place in the second round of the Swiss Open on Wednesday (March 19).
Playing at St Jakobshalle, Basel, Jun Hao was tipped to have little trouble clearing the first hurdle against Japan’s world No. 45 Koo Takahashi.
However, the match proved tougher than expected as Takahashi put up a strong fight, forcing Jun Hao to dig deep.
Despite the pressure, the Kuala Lumpur shuttler kept his cool and absorbed his opponent’s relentless attacks before sealing a hard-fought 21-19, 22-20 victory in 54 minutes.
With the win, he sets up a second-round showdown against Kenta Nishimoto on Thursday.
