PETALING JAYA: The fate of mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin is now hanging by a thread after their first round exit at the Asian Championships in Ningbo yesterday.
In the opening round match at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center, Pang Ron suffered a right arm injury during the second game of their clash against South Korea’s Kim Jae-hyeon-Jang Ha-jeong.
The injury forced Pang Ron-Su Yin to retire, handing victory to the world No. 147 pair.
“Not the ending I hoped for, elbow injury forced me to walk over. Couldn’t bend or straighten my elbow,” said Pang Ron, who shared a photo of his injured arm on his personal social media.
Pang Ron now not only has to deal with his injury concerns, but also faces the possibility of being split from Su Yin.
Mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto had already issued an ultimatum to the pair to quickly improve their performance at the Asian Championships or risk being separated.
Currently ranked No. 24 in the world, Pang Ron-Su Yin had previously made headlines after finishing runners-up at the 2024 China Masters.
However, since reaching the podium in Shenzhen, they have struggled to replicate that success. The defeat in Ningbo marks their sixth tournament of the year, and since January, they have consistently exited in the early rounds.
For the record, Pang Ron-Su Yin have been partnering each other since November 2023.
Despite their absence, Malaysia’s challenge in the mixed doubles will continue in Ningbo today with three other pairs advancing to the second round.
World champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei will face India’s Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto while husband-and-wife pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie will take on Taiwan’s Chen Cheng-kuan-Hsu Yin-hui.
Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien will meet home pair Guo Xinwa-Chen Fang Hui.
