Fast-paced action: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are in total command of the game against Denmark’s Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the first round of the Malaysian Open. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s doubles shuttler Man Wei Chong praised his partner Tee Kai Wun for stepping up to the plate en route to reaching the Malaysian Open second round yesterday.
The world No. 5 pair got their revenge over Danish duo Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen at the Axiata Arena, winning the opening round match 21-17, 21-18 in 42 minutes.
It was the fourth time the pairs have met, and the win by the Malaysians have levelled things up with two wins each.
They previously had met at the Singapore Open last year with the Danes taking the win, but this time Wei Chong gave props to Kai Wun for giving them the edge to win the match.
“We’re feeling happy because last year in Singapore we lost to them. But Kai Wun played so well,” said Wei Chong.
“He (Kai Wun) found gaps and created space, and for the next match, we need to do the same and prepare the best we can.”
Wei Chong-Kai Wun had previously beaten the Danish pair at the 2023 Malaysian Masters but lost at the Arctic Open final.
Kai Wun said the key was to stay consistent in the opening match of the tournament, and once they found their footing, it was then time to mess up their opponent’s focus.
“We knew that we had to be consistent for the first match,” said Kai Wun.
“So we made sure we were solid before trying to disrupt their rhythm.”
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will face Japan’s world No. 26 pair Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito next.
“All our opponents are tough. It boils down to our performance on that day,” said Wei Chong.
Meanwhile, seventh seeds Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani also advanced to the second round after they beat Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard 21-15, 21-13 yesterday.
Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong also booked their spot in the second round after they took down compatriots Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi.
Meanwhile, world No. 33 Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian’s run ended after they lost 21-16, 16-21, 15-21 to world No. 16 English pair Ben Lane-Sean Vendy.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Malaysians unless stated
Men’s singles: Ayush Shetty (Ind) bt Lee Zii Jia 21-12, 21-17; Shi Yuqi (Chn) bt Rasmus Gemke (Den) 23-21, 21-15; Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) bt Toma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-14, 14-21, 21-5; Lakshya Sen (Ind) bt Jason Teh (Sin) 21-16, 15-21, 21-14; Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) bt Lin Chun-yi (Tpe) 21-14, 21-12; Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hkg) bt Christo Popov (Fra) 13-21, 21-19, 23-21.
Men’s doubles: Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 11-21, 24-22, 21-11; Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) bt Choong Hon Jian-Haikal Nazri 16-21, 21-16, 21-15; Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) 21-17, 21-18; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard (Den) 21-15, 21-13; Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) bt Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang (Chn) 18-21, 21-7, 21-17; Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi (Jpn) bt Takumi Nomura-Yuichi Shimogami (Jpn) 21-16, 21-11.
Women’s singles: Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt Pai Yu-po (Jpn) 21-12, 21-14; An Se-young (Kor) bt Michelle Li (Can) 19-21, 21-16, 21-18; Mia Blichfeldt (Den) bt Natsuki Nidaira (Jpn) 21-15, 21-23, 22-20; Han Yue (Chn) bt Kim Ga-eun (Kor) 21-16, 21-10; Line Kjaersfeldt (Den) bt Huang Yu-hsuan (Tpe) 21-13, 21-16; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Malvika Bansod (Ind) 21-11, 21-11.
Women’s doubles: Jeong Na-eun-Lee Yeon-woo (Kor) bt Chiharu Shida-Arisa Igarashi (Jpn) 21-11, 21-16; Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Francesca Corbett-Jennie Gai (US) bt 21-8, 21-16; Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn-Sukitta Suwachai (Tha) bt Yeung Nga Ting-Yeung Pui Lam (Hkg) bt 21-19, 11-21, 21-16; Rui Hirokami-Sayaka Hobara (Jpn) bt Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting 21-16, 21-11.
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu (Ina) 21-12, 21-17; Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin bt Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje (Den) 20-22, 21-18, 21-17; Chen Cheng-kuan-Hsu Yin-hui (Tpe) bt Mads Vestergaard-Christine Busch (Den) 21-19, 19-21, 21-17; Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) bt Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito (Jpn) 18-21, 22-20, 21-15; Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) bt Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing 21-10, 21-9; Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (Chn) bt Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien 14-2, rtd.
