Malaysia Open: Zii Jia, Pearly-Thinaah out as doubles pairs secure second round
January 9, 2024 22:10 MYT
Lee Zii Jia said impatience in the deciding game cost him dearly at the Malaysia Open first round, which saw him crash out against Lu Guang Zu on a day where two Malaysian doubles pairs provided much needed joy.
Lee lost 21-16, 19-21, 15-21 against the Chinese in a 77-minute battle on Tuesday that ended on an anti-climax note.
The world number 11 took the lead with a confident display that included a variety of shots.
Lee was preferring to play at the net and found plenty of joy in the opening game, but Lu began to read him well and responded well.
The Chinese started to force Lee into mistakes and nicked the second game to force the decider.
It was in the deciding match that the former All-England lacked sting, as he committed numerous unforced errors to exit this tournament in the opening round for the second consecutive year.
“Lu’s defensive game was good today, and I was not patient enough in the deciding match. I had trained well and also implemented my coach’s strategy, but it wasn’t good enough. I have to keep trying,” he said.
It was also heartbreak for national women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan- M.Thinaah, who succumbed in straight games 20-22, 15-21 against Chinese pair Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning whom they had beaten twice before.
The Malaysians could not find the breakthrough in deuce of the opening game, and that haunted them in the second as they started the year on the wrong foot.
Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing lost in the first match of the day, losing 11-21, 16-21 against South Korea’s Kim Won-ho-Jeong Na-eun.
Two Malaysian doubles pairs Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai proved much needed joy to the fans at the Axiata Arena by confirming their second round berths.
"Nampaknya saya belum lagi konfiden dalam kepelbagaian attacking shots saya." Walaupun kalah di pusingan pertama, Lee Zii Jia percaya bahawa ada sedikit penambahbaikan dalam corak permainan beliau.#PMO2024 pic.twitter.com/GB7g4OLzeZ
— ASTRO ARENA (@ASTROARENA) January 9, 2024
Ong-Teo overcame Chinese Taipei's Lu Ching-yao-Yang Po-han 21-14, 21-15 to setup a meeting against fourth seeds Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen.
In the mixed doubles, Goh-Lai went the distance against English pair Gregory-Jenny Mairs to prevail 21-16, 15-21, 21-17.
They will need to be at their best on Thursday when they entertain Thai’s top pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai.