PETALING JAYA: National shuttler Leong Jun Hao continues to be haunted by world No. 1 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia after losing to him for the third time this year at the China Masters in Shenzhen Arena yesterday.
He had previously fallen short against the Indonesian in prior defeats in the Asian Championships and Malaysian Open.
The 27-year-old Jun Hao put in a valiant display but could not sustain it till the end as he lost 17-21, 19-21.
“There was a bit of overthinking on my end where I was too focused on the points,” said Jun Hao.
“I didn’t take the opportunities at the end and that cost me.”
Jun Hao, who’s currently ranked 27th in the world, is adamant not to let the defeat bring him down and will be using it as a stepping stone back to winning ways.
“I’m going to focus on the positives,” he said.
“Hopefully that will help me break this current duck.”
Meanwhile in the men’s doubles category, Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Tai, in their debut together, took 48 minutes to beat Japan’s world No. 49 pairing of Hiroki Okamura-Kyohei Yamashita 18-21, 21-12, 21-15.
Wooi Yik-Tai will face Chen Boyang-Liu Yi of China next.
The Chinese players will come into that match with a slight rest advantage after their first round opponents, Hariharan Amsakarunan-M.R. Arjun from India, retired in the first game.
Unfortunately, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani’s Masters came to an abrupt end as well after Izzuddin suffered an unspecified injury.
The pair were forced to retire and concede victory to Indonesia’s Ali Faathir Rayhan-Devin A. Wahyudi.
RESULTS
(Malaysian unless stated)
First round
Men’s singles: Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt Leong Jun Hao 21-17, 21-19
Men’s doubles: 1. Tee Kai Wun-Yap Roy King bt He Zhi-Wei-Huang Jhi-Hsuan (Tpe) 18-21, 21-16, 21-9, 2. Soh Wooi Yik-Aaron Tai bt Hiroki Okamura-Kyohei Yamashita (Jap) 18-21, 21-12, 21-15, 3. Ali Faathir Rayhan-Devin A. Wahyudi (Ina) bt Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin 21-16, retired
Women’s singles: Supanida Katethong (Tha) bt Wong Ling Ching 6-21, 21-12, 24-22
Women’s doubles: Hsu Ya Ching-Sung Yu-Hsuan (Tpe) bt Ong Xin Yee- Carmen Ting 21-16, 21-15
Mixed doubles: 1. Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai bt Chen Zhi Yi-Francesca Corbett (USA) 21-14, 21-19, 2. Ye Hong Wei-Nicole G. Chan (Tpe) bt Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien 6-21, 21-12, 24-22
