Solid girls: Shuttlers Dania Sofea Zaidi and Low Zi Yu win at the Malaysia Junior International Challenge.
PETALING JAYA: A title win at the Malaysian Junior International Challenge has given Dania Sofea Zaidi and Low Zi Yu the perfect boost ahead of the Asian Junior Championships in Solo, Indonesia from July 18-27.
The win was especially meaningful for Dania, who had earlier fallen short in the mixed doubles final with Datu Anif Isaac Datu Asrah despite going in as the top seeds in Kangar, Perlis yesterday.
Dania-Datu were beaten by compatriots Loh Zi Heng-Noraqilah Maisarah 22-20, 15-21, 12-21 in a 54-minute duel.
But the Johor-born shuttler made amends in the girls’ doubles final when she and Zi Yu outplayed Thailand’s Khanaphon Deearom-Thanaphon Deearom 21-11, 21-19 to lift the title.
"I just gave my best. Of course, there’s pressure going into the Asian Juniors because the coaches are expecting Zi Yu and I to deliver, especially after we finished runners-up at the World Junior Championships last year.
But I’m embracing the pressure,” said Dania.
Top seeds Loh Zi Heng-Tan Zhi Yang failed to add more titles for Malaysia when they fell to Indonesia’s Alexius Subagio-Aquino Tangka 21-18, 19-21, 20-22 in the boys' doubles final.
