Latest news with #KoayHaoSheng
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Malaysia face do-or-die Davis Cup battle against Qatar
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will take on Qatar in a do-or-die battle in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group IV playoff tomorrow — with promotion to Group III on the line. Malaysia, led by captain Adam Jaya, booked their spot in the playoff as Pool A champions with a 3-0 win over Kyrgyzstan at the National Tennis Centre today. Koay Hao Sheng battled to a 6-4, 5-7, 5-2 victory over Mirgiiaz Mirdzhaliev, clinching Malaysia's first point after his opponent retired in the deciding set. Leroy Yong then clinched the tie with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6 win against Ilgiz Kamchibekov. The doubles pairing of Darrshan Suresh Kumar-Daniel Prickett completed the sweep, defeating Kirill Kistanov-Erbol Eldiyar Uulu 6-2, 6-0. A play-off win against Pool B runners-up Qatar will earn Malaysia promotion to Group III next year. Adam said he was pleased with the team's performance against Kyrgyzstan, but expects Qatar to give a tough challenge. "These past three days have been satisfying. As you saw, my first singles players over these three days were three different players. In the group, we won all our matches but nothing is more important than tomorrow's D-Day," said the non-playing team skipper. "Qatar is a very good team. Like Malaysia, they have experience in Group II and Group III, and are now in Group IV. Their players are consistent and fit." In the other Pool A match played today, Iraq beat Nepal 3-0. In Pool B, the Philippines cruised to a 3-0 win over Qatar to finish top and will meet Pool A runners-up Kyrgyzstan.
The Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
High for Malaysia as they stay flawless in Davis Cup
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have secured their spot in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group IV playoffs after a clean sweep over Iraq yesterday. The national team took their second win in the group stage after scoring a 3-0 win over Iraq in Group A at the National Tennis Centre. Koay Hao Sheng was first to take the court against Abdullah Ali Hatem Ghrairi, and after a shaky first set, came through to win 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 to deliver the first point. The decisive point was delivered for the hosts by Darrshan Suresh Kumar, who breezed past Akam Bakr 6-1, 6-1 and secured their spot in the playoffs tomorrow. Daniel Prickett, who is making his debut at the Davis Cup, partnered with Naufal Siddiq Kamaruzzaman to take down Mohammed Al-Shammari-Abdullah Ali 6-3, 6-2 in the final doubles match. Malaysia had also sealed a commanding 3-0 win against Nepal in their opening group match on Wednesday. Darrshan was pleased to deliver the winning point for his team, saying that he felt right at home on the court compared to the opening day. "I was struggling a little with my serving on the first day, but now it's much more solid and I'm proud of my performance," said Darrshan. "The team followed the game plan well and it was crucial for us to win all the matches in the group stage." Malaysia will play against Kyrgyzstan today to complete the group tie, and will want to keep their winning streak going to get a better chance in the playoffs. Malaysia are currently top in the group, with Kyrgyzstan level on points in second, followed by Iraq and Nepal, who are out of playoff contention. In Group B, the Philippines and Qatar have secured their spots in the playoffs as well, but will take each other on to determine who comes out on top. Kuwait and Pacific Oceania are also out of the running. "We need to secure the top spot, anything can happen in the other group. Everyone wants to be promoted to Group III," said Darrshan. "Team spirit is high, and everyone is on the same page. We all want to win, especially after last year when we were relegated to Group IV. "We're not proud of it, and we want to fix that," he added.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Malaysia serve up dominant performance to reach Davis Cup play-offs
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia booked their spot in the play-off round of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group IV campaign with a 3-0 win over Iraq in their penultimate Pool A clash on Thursday. Koay Hao Sheng got Malaysia off to a strong start at the National Tennis Centre with a hard-fought 7-6, 7-5 win over Abdullah Ali Hatem Ghrairi. Darrshan Suresh Kumar then made quick work of Akam Bakr with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory to give Malaysia an unassailable 2-0 lead, before Daniel Prickett-Naufal Siddiq Kamaruzzaman sealed the comprehensive win with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Mohammed Al Shammari-Abdullah Ali Hatem in the doubles. The team will face Kyrgyzstan on Friday to determine the Pool A champions. Darrshan was pleased with his form and is aiming to secure victory against Kyrgyzstan for a favourable play-off draw. "It was quite solid. I am really happy with my performance, the way I was moving, especially my serves. I was struggling a bit yesterday, but today was much better," said the 18-year-old. "We played Kyrgyzstan in a training session last week. They know our game style and we know theirs. It's pretty even... it will come down to who plays better tennis tomorrow." "We need to secure the top spot. As you know, in the other group, anything can happen. Everyone here is solid. Everyone wants to win and earn promotion to Group III." "Tomorrow (Friday) we have to win and finish top of the group, so we can play the number two team from the other group. We just have to do our part and hope for the best." "We all want to win, especially after what happened last year when we were relegated to Group IV. It wasn't something we were proud of. This year, we're trying to fix that and get back to where we belong." In the other Pool A, Kyrgyzstan defeated Nepal 3-0.
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Davis Cup debutant delivers as Malaysia routs Nepal in opener
KUALA LUMPUR: The national tennis squad left no room for drama as they opened their Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group IV campaign with a 3-0 win against Nepal today (July 16). Key player Koay Hao Sheng delivered the opening point for Malaysia at the National Tennis Centre here with a decisive 6-0, 6-1 win over Nepal's Pranav Manandhar. Daniel Prickett, who was making his Davis Cup debut, secured an unassailable 2-0 lead for Malaysia with a straightforward 6-1, 6-1 win over Pradip Khadka. Darrshan Kumar and Leroy Yong then made it 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Aayushman Ghale-Nisan Shrestha. Malaysian team captain Adam Jaya had no complaints. "It was a good way to start the competition and try to gain some momentum. Hao Sheng and Daniel both delivered in the singles while our doubles pair also did their job well," said Adam. "I was quite impressed with Daniel as he was making his debut. He played well tactically and is also a very good athlete who is adept at both singles and doubles. "We will look to build on this performance and try to peak by the weekend." Daniel, 20, admitted he made a nervy start to the match but was pleased to secure Malaysia's victory. "I was a bit nervous at the start as I did not know what to expect from the opponent," said Daniel. "I am happy that I was able to stay focused, consistent and disciplined to pull through. It was a good result which will help me carry some confidence through the tournament. "Playing for Malaysia is different than playing for myself on tour as I am carrying my country's flag. Playing at home, there is some pressure as there are people who you know watching and supporting you. "But it is nice, it is a good form of pressure to have." In the other Pool A tie played today (July 16), Kyrgyzstan defeated Iraq 2-1. In Pool B, unseeded favourites the Philippines scored a straightforward 3-0 win over second seeds Pacific Oceania while Qatar downed Kuwait 2-1. Malaysia will face Iraq tomorrow (July 17). Order of play July 17: All matches start 10am
New Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Hao Sheng prepared for Davis Cup double duty
KUALA LUMPUR: Koay Hao Sheng is looking forward to taking on a new role as Davis Cup playing captain for the men's national tennis squad later this month. Malaysia will be playing in Group IV of the Asia-Oceania competition on July 14-19 with home ground advantage at the National Tennis Centre here. Hao Sheng tasted his first experience as captain of the Billie Jean King Cup (BJKC) women's squad last month and led the team to a respectable top-four finish in the Asia-Oceania Group II competition which was also held in Kuala Lumpur. "I am looking forward to being the playing captain for the Davis Cup," said Hao Sheng when met recently. "I have played in the Davis Cup many times before but this time it will be more challenging as I will also be coaching. "I will have to manage my recovery between matches more carefully as I will be on court (coaching courtside) throughout the day. "I enjoyed my experience as BJKC captain and I learnt a lot. The players, association and head coach (Muliyadi Jamal) have been very supportive of me. "Having said that, there is still a lot more I can learn in terms of understanding the players and how to communicate effectively with them." Hao Sheng is set to turn 27 later this month but has already been a staple of the national squad for almost a decade now. The Davis Cup squad will be on a mission to secure promotion after being relegated from Group III last year. The other nations in Group IV, which is the second lowest tier of the competition, are Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Iraq, Nepal, Philippines, Malaysia as well as Pacific Oceania who were relegated alongside Malaysia from Group III last season.
