PETALING JAYA: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun kept Malaysia’s men’s doubles campaign alive after cruising past Taiwan’s Chang Ko-chi-Po Li-wei in the first round of the Indonesian Masters on Tuesday (Jan 20).
The defending champions, who are also the third seeds, needed just 23 minutes to advance after sealing a comfortable 21-13, 21-6 victory.
Their win provided a timely lift for the national camp following the earlier disappointment when top seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik suffered a shock defeat to Denmark’s Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard 22-20, 19-21, 16-21.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will next face India’s Hariharan Amsakarun-M.R Arjun in the second round.
Fourth seeds Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani also progressed without much trouble after overcoming the United States pair of Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith 21-15, 21-17.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin are set to take on Taiwan’s Liu Kuang-heng-Yang Po-han in the second round.
Veteran pair Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Azriyn Ayub also advanced after defeating Lee Fang-chih-Lee Fang-jen 21-13, 21-18 from Taiwan and will meet the host nation’s Sabar Karyaman-Moh Reza in the second round.
It was a disappointing outing for professional pair Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin, who went down to Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei-Yan Po-hsuan 18-21, 15-21.
Choong Hon Jian-Mohd Haikal Nazri gave England's Ben Lane-Sean Vendy some resistance before bowing out in a disappointing 21-17, 17-21, 3-21 loss.
In women’s doubles, last year’s runners-up Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah survived an early scare after edging past the United States pair Francesca Corbett-Jennie Gai 21-15, 20-22, 21-19.
They will face Taiwan’s Lin Xiao-min-Wang Yu-qiao in the second round.
Joining them in the second round are Cheng Su Hui-Tan Zhing Yi, who defeated Kathrine Vang-Mette Werge 22-20, 21-13 and will next take on another Taiwanese pair, Hsu Ya-ching-Sung Yu-hsuan, for a place in the quarter-finals.
