Latest news with #MalaysianMasters
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Smashing Aaron-Wooi Yik beat South Korean juggernauts to win Singapore Open
Sheer joy: National men's doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik celebrate after winning. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik showed fire in the belly to recover from a game down to lift the Singapore Open title in style. The former world champions fought tooth and nail to beat Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae of South Korea 15-21, 21-18, 21-19 in a fast-paced 65-minute final match to mark an incredible turnaround in their careers this year. There was fear that Aaron may fall apart when the umpire faulted his service twice in the early part of the game but he was not rattled. In fact, he combined superbly with Wooi Yik to launch a series of smashes and smart play to outfox their equally strong opponents. The Singapore Open is their third title this season after winning the Asian Championships in April and Thailand Open last month. Last week, they came close to winning the Malaysian Masters but lost to younger teammates Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the final. It was also a sweet revenge for the world No. 3 Aaron-Wooi Yik, who train under Herry Iman Pierngadi, after losing to the Korean pair in the semi-finals of the Indian Open in January. Seung-jae, who won the world title with Kang Min-hyuk in 2023, had been in fine form too with his new partner Won-ho but they found it diffcult this time to unsettle the Malaysians, who were solid in the second and third game. The Koreans had captured the Malaysian Open, German Open and All-England this year. Aaron-Wooi Yik will compete at the Indonesian Open in Jakarta next week. RESULTS Men's singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Lu Guangzu (Chn) 21-6, 21-10. Men's doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae (Kor) 15-21, 21-18, 21-19. Women's singles: Chen Yufei (Chn) bt Wang Zhiyi (Chn) 21-11, 21-11. Women's doubles: Kim Hye-jeong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor) bt Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) 21-16, 21-14. Mixed doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran (Tha) bt Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) 21-16, 21-9.
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Pearly-Thinaah have few giants to slay in bid to reach the summit
PETALING JAYA: Women doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (pic) have broken into the world's top four, but the climb to the very summit is proving tougher than ever as fierce rivals continue to test their mettle. Their latest threat comes from the Chinese pair Jia Yifan, world champion and Paris Olympic gold medallist, who has now teamed up with Zhang Shuxian. Although they have only been paired for about seven months, they have quickly established themselves as formidable rivals to Pearly-Thinaah. Pearly-Thinaah, ranked fourth currently, came close to defeating the Chinese pair in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open on Thursday but still fall short, losing 21-14, 22-24, 14-21. It was Pearly-Thinaah's third straight defeat to the Chinese pair in four meetings so far, including losses at the Malaysian Masters last week and the Orleans Masters in March. Their only win came in their first encounter at the Indian Open in January, but that victory was handed to them after Shuxian was forced to retire due to injury. 'I think it's quite sad and disappointing that we lost, especially since we didn't take the opportunity in the second game after catching up. But overall, I think we've been doing quite well,' said Thinaah. 'We just need to keep supporting and motivating each other. Moving forward, we'll stay focused and prepare for the next tournament.' In the past, Pearly-Thinaah also found it tough going against Yifan and her original partner Chen Qingchen, suffering eight defeats in nine meetings. The Chinese pair had even ended their hopes of reaching the final at the Paris Olympics last August. There was some redemption last week, though, when Pearly-Thinaah overcame Qingchen and her new partner Wang Tingge at the Thailand Open. But Yifan-Shuxian aren't the only Chinese pair posing a threat. World No. 1 duo Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning have also proven to be a major obstacle. Still, the most daunting opponents remain Japan's Chiharu Shida-Nami Matsuyama, who hold a dominant 13-1 record over the Malaysians. Therefore, Pearly-Thinaah will need to work even harder if they are to establish themselves as one of the most feared women's pairs in the world. Their next stop is the Indonesian Open in Jakarta, where they will open their campaign against Taiwan's Teng Chun-hsun and Yang Chu-yun in the first round.
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Shevon hits back at armchair critics for lack of understanding
National mixed doubles shuttlers Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttler Shevon Lai Jemie rarely responds to criticism, but this time, she could no longer hold back her feelings. Known for her cheerful and friendly personality, Shevon was clearly disheartened by remarks from a handful of fans aimed at her and husband Goh Soon Huat after they missed out on a semi-final spot at the Singapore Open, following a defeat to Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran on Friday. Top seeds at the tournament, Soon Huat-Shevon fell 19-21, 22-20, 21-17, a loss that drew jeers from some fans on social media. In a post on her personal social media page, Shevon invited those who criticised her to come and train with them, even suggesting they pair up with Soon Huat to see just how challenging it really is. "If you guys wanna keep condemning me for not having initiative to find the shots, and feel I am letting Soon Huat run the entire court himself on purpose, please speak to @gohsoonhuat, and come train with us, I will let you feel how is it when I look for the shuttle. "And I am more than happy to let you partner @gohsoonhuat. You take my position and see how it feels," posted Shevon on her social media. The truth is, Soon Huat suffered an injury during the first set of the match, forcing them to adjust their playing style for the following games. Adding to their challenges, Soon Huat had only just recovered from leg injury when he returned to action at the Malaysian Masters last week. Soon Huat-Shevon were champions of the 2018 Singapore Open, where they defeated the top Indonesian pair at the time, Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir. The world No. 5 pair will have a chance to redeem themselves when they compete at the Indonesian Open next Tuesday. Ironically, Soon Huat and Shevon will face another Thai pair, Sapsiree Taerattanachai, who was previously partnered with Dechapol. However, the 2021 world champion is now teamed up with Phuwanat Horbanluekit, and they too are striving to make a breakthrough.
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Inconsistency remains a glaring issue for Jun Hao
National men's singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao in action against Ireland's Nhat Nguyen in the first round of Malaysian Masters at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil on Wednesday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star PETALING JAYA: Causing upsets against top players is always exciting, but men's singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao (pic) must find greater consistency if he wants to be more than just a dangerous underdog. Jun Hao's campaign at the Singapore Open came to an end in the quarter-finals following a 13-21, 11-21 defeat to second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand. The performance was a far cry from his sensational win over world No. 5 Jonatan Christie in the second round on Thursday, highlighting the inconsistency that continues to hold him back. It's a glaring issue Jun Hao must address if he wants to be seen as more than just a threat capable of occasional upsets. Reaching the quarter-finals may be his best result so far this year, but it also exposed his struggle to maintain form despite his ability to take down top-ranked opponents. Among his notable scalps this season are Japan's world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka, whom he defeated during the group stage of the Sudirman Cup, and China's world No. 4 Li Shifeng in the opening round of the India Open in January. However, there seems to be a recurring pattern – just a day after pulling off a big win, Jun Hao often falls flat in the following match. Even the 24-year-old acknowledges this shortcoming. 'I've done my best in today's match, but I admit it still wasn't enough. Maybe the wind conditions today were very different compared to yesterday. 'I think he (Kunlavut) was more consistent and knew how to control the match. His playing style is the same, but he looked more mature out there. 'I believe I just need to stick to what I'm doing now and keep focusing on what lies ahead,' said Jun Hao in an interview with BWF. Jun Hao will have a chance to make amends for his disappointment in Singapore when he heads to Jakarta next week for the Indonesian Open, which begins on Tuesday. The Malaysian will open his campaign against China's Lei Lanxi, the same opponent he defeated in the first round of the Singapore Open.
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Soon Huat-Shevon shift focus to Indonesian Open after narrow loss to Thais
Running out of steam: Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie lost to Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran in the Singapore Open quarter-finals yesterday. PETALING JAYA: It wasn't the result they were hoping for, but mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are taking the positives from their Singapore Open outing as they shift their focus to the Indonesian Open next week. The top seeds saw their campaign in Singapore come to an end after a hard-fought 19-21, 22-20, 17-21 defeat to Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran in the quarter-finals yesterday. The match lasted 64 minutes. Soon Huat later revealed that he had picked up a slight injury in the opening game, which disrupted their momentum and made it harder for them to maintain their dominance in the second, forcing the match into a deciding rubber. However, he did not disclose details of the injury. 'Actually, we both knew that once we lost the second match it would be very hard to come back because I sustained an injury during the first match. 'If we continued to play with speed and power then maybe we would've been at a disadvantage. So we just tried to focus and give our best,' said Soon Huat. Despite the defeat, the pair believe they are slowly regaining their rhythm after a lacklustre showing at the Malaysian Masters last week, where they exited in the first round. 'Last week was definitely a setback for us both. We were quite disappointed, not able to go further in our home ground but it was a good take and we have stayed positive since then and we see the result here in Singapore that we are getting back on track. 'We're really proud of ourselves, my partner especially, that he's getting back. ''It's been a very tough journey for him to maintain at this level with some injuries and trying to recover,' said Shevon. Their performance in Singapore has given them a timely boost ahead of the Indonesian Open, which begins on Tuesday. Soon Huat-Shevon are set to face another Thai pair in the first round, Sapsiree Taerattanachai and her new partner Phuwanat Horbanluekit. Soon Huat-Shevon have not had the best of outings at the Indonesian Open in recent years, particularly in the last two editions where they suffered early first-round exits. Meanwhile, women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah were once again left heartbroken after falling to China's Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian 21-14, 22-24, 14-21 in the quarter-finals. It was their second straight loss to the Chinese duo, after falling short against them in the Malaysian Masters semi-finals last week.
