Chinese duo in Redzuan-Zi Yu’s way as they seek Asian juniors gold

Amazing feat: Ahmad Redzuan Zulwaqqarizal-Low Zi Yu in action during the Asian Junior Championships semi-final match at the Yatsushiro City General Gymnasium yesterday. — BAM

PETALING JAYA: Having ended Malaysia’s 16-year wait for a mixed doubles finalist at the Asian Junior Championships, youngsters Ahmad Redzuan Zulwaqqarizal-Low Zi Yu now have the chance to become the country’s first champions in the event in 19 years when they contest today’s final.

Redzuan-Zi Yu booked their place in the title decider after beating Taiwan’s Lin Sheng-min-Sun Liang-ching 21-16, 23-25, 21-10 in the semi-finals at the Yatsushiro City General Gymnasium yesterday.

Redzuan admitted it was a tough contest after the Taiwanese pair fought back to force a deciding game, but he was pleased they managed to respond in the decider.

“Tactically, we got things right in the first game. They changed their strategy in the second and we struggled, but Zi Yu and I adjusted our tactics again in the deciding game and it worked,” said Redzuan.

The victory saw Redzuan-Zi Yu become the first Malaysian mixed doubles pair to reach the Asian Junior Championships final since Ow Yao Han-Lai Pei Jing finished runners-up on home soil in Kuala Lumpur in 2010.

Standing in their way for the title are China’s Zheng Weigang-Li Menghan, whom they will face in today’s final.

The last Malaysian pair to capture the mixed doubles crown were Tan Wee Kiong-Woon Khe Wei, who triumphed in Kuala Lumpur in 2007.

“Of course I feel the pressure ahead of tomorrow’s (today’s) final, but I will try to handle it and give my best.

“We will give it our all in the final and try to win the gold medal for Malaysia,” he added.

National junior mixed doubles coach Hazwan Jamaluddin believes his charges have every chance of lifting the title despite being tested in the semi-finals.

“In the first game, we controlled the pace of the match. In the second, we followed our opponents’ game too much. In the third, we managed to make them play at our pace. The opportunity is there, and we will do our best,” said Hazwan.

Malaysia missed out on having a second representative in the final after Zi Yu and Genevie Lim lost 21-16, 17-21, 17-21 to Japan’s second seeds Aoi Banno-Yuzu Ueno in the girls’ doubles semi-finals.

Nevertheless, Zi Yu and Genevie will return home with a bronze medal after reaching the last four.