PETALING JAYA: Women’s singles shuttler K Letshanaa pulled off the biggest upset of her career, stunning former world champion Nozomi Okuhara in the first round of the US Open on Wednesday (June 25).
It was the first-ever meeting between the two players, with eighth seed Okuhara enjoying a psychological edge thanks to her higher world ranking of No. 27, compared to Letshanaa’s 42nd spot.
That did not faze Letshanaa, who needed just 31 minutes to seal her spot in the second round with a commanding 21-8, 21-19 win at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
She will next face India’s Aakarshi Kashyap in the second round.
Also putting up a fine showing was compatriot Wong Ling Ching, who ousted fourth seed Hsu Wen-chi of Taiwan 21-17, 19-21, 22-20 in a hard-fought battle.
Ling Ching will meet Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova in the next round.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s sole representative in the men’s singles, Justin Hoh, had little trouble overcoming Belgium’s Julien Carragi 21-10, 21-10 and will take on Taiwan’s Liao Jhuo-fu in the second round.
