On point: Siti Zulaikha Azmi beat Bui Bich Phuong 21-19, 21-19 to contribute the winning point against Vietnam in the quarter-finals.
PETALING JAYA: The women’s team are just one step away from reaching a SEA Games team event final for the first time in 10 years, but they must overcome Indonesia in today’s semi-finals.
The team have already guaranteed at least a bronze medal after a meaningful 3-1 win over Vietnam in yesterday’s quarter-final.
Malaysia’s three points came from women’s singles player Wong Ling Ching, women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, and Siti Zulaikha Azmi, after K. Letshanaa fell to Nguyen Thuy Linh in the opening match.
The victory not only ended the nightmare of Phnom Penh two years ago, when Malaysia were eliminated by the Philippines in the quarter-finals, but also gave the national players a boost of confidence ahead of their clash with Indonesia, the silver medallists from the last edition.
For Siti, while she was happy to help the team secure the win and guarantee a bronze medal, she is not letting herself get carried away, as the job is not yet done.
This comes after Indonesia, fielding their top singles players Putri Kusuma Wardani and Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, played well to secure crucial points against Myanmar yesterday, including one from women’s doubles pair Rachel Aleessya and Febi Setianingrum, to claim a 3-0 win.
“For tomorrow’s game (today), I’m not setting high expectations. I just want to do my best for the team and give my best on court,” said Siti when contacted.
Reflecting on yesterday’s match, it was a repeat of Siti’s debut at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, when she lost to Vu Thi Trang as the second singles player.
Malaysia eventually fell to Vietnam 1-3 in the women’s team quarter-final.
In yesterday’s tie, the Melaka-born shuttler faced immense pressure against Bui Bich Phuong, as a win would send Malaysia into the semi-finals, while a loss would shift the decider to the women’s doubles match.
Fortunately, she kept her focus and made few errors, securing a 21-19, 21-19 victory.
“For today’s (yesterday’s) performance, I’m grateful to have contributed a point to the team. I was able to stay calm during the match and maintain my focus,” she added.
