Malaysian shuttlers will be anticipating a much better performance at the upcoming Indonesia Open, which begins on Tuesday, after a lackluster outing at the Indonesia Masters that saw only one pair reach the semi-finals.
A bout of poisoning last week affected not only several local shuttlers, but also players from other countries after having meals at their hotels.
Goh Soon Huat, Shevon Lai, Chan Peng Soon, Teo Ee Yi, Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, Nur Izzuddin and Low Juan Shen were among those affected which resulted in their early exits.
Lai said she and partner Goh already moved hotels.
“We suspect it was from our meals the day before the first round [of Indonesia Masters] started. We saw cockroaches in the dining area, and I killed three in my room.
“We have decided to move hotels before the Indonesia Open. We know some players have also moved,” she told the New Straits Times.
In the men’s singles, Lee Zii Jia takes on Sitthikom Thammasin in the opening round and could meet third seeded Anders Antonsen or Loh Kean Yew in the last eight if all goes according to plan.
The man to beat would once again be Viktor Axelsen, who won the Indonesia Masters title on Sunday in comfortable straight-game fashion.
In the men’s doubles, fifth seeds Chia-Soh have an-all Malaysian clash against Man Wei Chong-Kai Wun Tee in the opening round.
National men’s doubles chief Rexy Mainaky attributed Chia-Soh’s loss to a Chinese qualifier last week due to the food poisoning, hoping they would be ready to make an impact in this Super 1000 event.
Goh Sze Fei-Izzuddin have their work cut out with a clash against Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto, while Teo-Ong Yew Sin play Danish pair Jeppe Bay-Lasse Molhede.
Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah progressed the furthest of the lot at the Indonesia Masters, and they’d be hoping to equal or better their semi-finals showing from last week.
“We need to improve more and we will be better next week,” said Thinaah ahead of the pair’s first round meeting against Anna Ching-Teoh Mei Xing.
Goh-Lai face the toughest test in the mixed doubles, having to deal with top seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in the opening round.
Hoo Pang Ron-Teoh Ee Wei are up against Yuki Kaneko-Misaki Matsutomo, while Soong Joo Ven-Goh Liu Ying aim to get a first win as partners against Hafiz Faizal-Serena Kani.
Chen Tang Jie-Valeree Siow play Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Crhystine Bandaso, while Chan-Cheah Yee See face Marcus Ellis-Lauren Smith.
Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing meanwhile take on Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje.
