Good start: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun beat France’s Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov 21-11, 25-27, 21-15 in the first round of the China Masters. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles shuttlers Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are out to raise their game after a shaky start in the China Masters.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun were given a huge scare by French brothers Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov before prevailing 21-11, 25-27, 21-15 in the first round at the Shenzhen Arena yesterday.
The world No. 8 pair could have won the match in straight games when they led 20-19 in the second game but could not convert their chance.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun then did well to bounce back from the setback to come away with the victory in 58 minutes.
The duo admitted that they needed to improve to stand a chance of progressing far in the tournament.
“In the first game, we played well but after the 11-point interval in the second game, we made too many simple mistakes,” said Kai Wun in a post match interview with the Badminton World Federation.
“Our opponents became more confident while we put ourselves under pressure and could not enjoy our game.”
Wei Chong said: Our coach (Herry Iman Pierngadi) told us to be braver in the third game and stay focused.
“Thankfully, we regained our rhythm, so this is a good win for us. We hope to perform better in the second round.”
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will face the winners of the match between Indonesia’s Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana and Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura next for a place in the quarter-finals.
Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, though, could not join Wei Chong-Kai Wun in the second round.
Roy King-Arif went down 22-24, 13-21 to India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty while Yew Sin-Ee Yi lost 10-21, 7-21 to Taiwan’s Wang Chi-lin-Chiu Hsiang-chieh.
Meanwhile, in the women’s doubles, youngsters Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting are through to the second round after they brushed past India’s Rutaparna Panda-Swetaparna Panda 21-8, 21-13.
Xin Yee-Carmen will take on either South Korea’s Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee or Taiwan’s Hu Ling-fang-Jheng Yu-chieh next.
World No. 19 Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee went down fighting to world No. 9 home pair Li Yijing-Lu Xuomin 19-21, 21-12, 19-21. Mei Xing-Pei Kee had a glorious opportunity to pull off an upset when they led 14-7 in the deciding game but could not maintain their performance and lost out in 64 minutes.
Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah also confirmed their spot in the next round after a hard-fought 20-22, 21-16, 22-20 win over Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji-Meilysa Trias. Pearly-Thinaah will next play Americans Francesca Corbett-Jennie Gai.
Malaysians unless stated
Men’s singles: Leong Jun Hao bt Anthony Ginting (Ina) 21-19, 5-21, 21-10; Lin Chun-yi (Tpe) bt Lee Zii Jia 17-21, 23-21, 14-6, ret.
Men’s doubles: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-11, 25-27, 21-15; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty (Ind) bt Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi 24-22, 21-13; Wang Chi-lin-Chiu Hsiang-chieh (Tpe) bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 21-10, 21-7.
Women’s doubles: Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting bt Rutaparna Panda-Swetaparna Panda (Ind) 21-8, 21-13; Li Yijing-Luo Xumin (Chn) bt Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee 21-19, 12-21, 21-19; Pearly Tan-M Thinaah bt Febriana Dwipuji-Meilysa Puspitasari (Ina) 20-22, 21-16, 22-20.
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Chen Zhi Yi-Francesca Corbett (USA) 21-12, 21-14; Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin bt Adnan Maulana-Indah Jamil (Ina) 21-6, 21-14.
