PETALING JAYA: Rising shuttler Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan showed she can click with anyone in the women's doubles and win.
The 19-year-old Noraqilah marked her scratch partnership with Ong Xin Yee in style by going all the way to win the women's doubles title at the second leg of the Under-21 National Championships in Kuantan on Sunday (June 28).
The win did not come easy for Noraqilah as she and Xin Yee had to battle for almost an hour to overcome teammates Dania Sofea Zaidi-Tan Zhing Hui 14-16, 15-10, 15-11 in an all-Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) final.
Noraqilah's partner Low Zi Yu is currently competing in the Asian Junior Mixed Team Championships in Japan while the former is ineligible for the meet.
Noraqilah did well with Zi Yu last week when they reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and climbed 14 spots to a career-high world No. 70 in the latest rankings.
In the singles finals, Haziq Mohd Najib from Selangor and second seed Oo Shan Zi emerged as the boys' and girls' winners.
Haziq clinched his first national title this year after beating BAM’s Roslie Razeeq Danial 15-10, 15-7 while Shan Zi knocked out Lim Zhi Shin 15-6, 19-17 easily.
Meanwhile, Zi Yu did well with her scratch partner Genevie Lim as they contributed points in the girls' doubles as Malaysia reached the quarter-finals as Group D champions in the Asian Junioe Mixed Team Championships in Japan.
Malaysia defeated Indonesia 55-51, 49-55, 55-48 in the final group tie played under the 55x3 relay scoring system at the Yatsushiro City General Gymnasium in Japan.
NATIONAL UNDER-21 RESULTS
BAM unless stated
Boys’ singles: Haziq Mohd Najib (Sel) bt Roslie Razeeq Danial 15-10, 15-7.
Boys’ doubles: Mohd Nur Azhar Zunaide-Siau Yu Hang (Sab-Joh) bt Nixon Ang-Hymns Isaiah Shim 15-10, 15-12.
Girls’ singles: Oo Shan Zi bt Lim Zhi Shin 15-9, 19-17.
Girls’ doubles: Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan-Ong Xin Yee bt Dania Sofea Zaidi-Tan Zhing Hui 14-16, 15-10, 15-11.
Mixed doubles: Tan Zhi Yang-Vannee Gobi bt Loh Ziheng-Nicole Tan 13-15, 15-11, 15-12.
