KUALA LUMPUR (18 December 2017): Petaling Badminton Club (BC) made it a day to remember for Petaling clubs as they joined Petaling Jaya BC in registering their first win of the SS Purple League (SSPL) 2017/18 season.
They achieved that feat by defeating Kepong BC 12-7 at the Sports Arena Sentosa, Old Klang Road today during the 8pm match.
Japanese international, Kenichi Tago got Petaling off to a flyer after easily dispatching his opponent, Soong Joo Ven of Kepong BC in straight sets 3-0 (11-10, 11-9, 11-9) in the first men’s singles match.
But they were pegged back in the women’s singles match after Kepong’s Ho Yen Mei defeated Petaling’s Indonesian import, Hera Desiana Rachmawati 3-1 (11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6). Petaling was still holding on to a slender lead despite that defeat.
The men’s doubles match ended in a tie after Petaling’s Goh V Shem-Shia Chun Kang and Kepong’s Yang Po Han-Tan Chee Tean played to a 2-2 (11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 10-8) draw. Nothing could separate the sides as both pairs treated fans to a spectacle.
Chen Tang Jie and Devi Tika Permatasari then provided Petaling with some breathing space as they performed brilliantly to defeat Kepong’s pair of Goh Soon Huat and Cheah Yee See 3-1 (10-11, 11-8, 11-10, 6-4) in the mixed doubles match.
Iskandar Zulkarnain then wrapped things up for Petaling as he made lightweight of Kepong’s Thai import, Pannawit Thongnuam, winning his battle 3-1 (5-11, 11-10, 11-5, 11-10).
“It was a tight affair as both teams are equally as strong. But it feels good to get the win. I am highly motivated for this year’s SS Purple League. Our players are hungry for the title. I hope that we can carry on this momentum and finish as high as we can in the league standings,” said Petaling BC’s head coach, Yap Kim Hock.
“Last year, results didn’t go our way. So I hope to register more wins this year. I personally think that this year, Petaling BC’s men’s doubles pairing is stronger compared to previous years. No matter which pairing I put out, I believe they are more matured and have the capability to perform well. And that will help us in the long run,” added Yap.
“We played well just now. We expected it to be a tight game as our opponent is highly ranked in the world. Whatever it is, my partner and I showed that we can also put on a good fight and that we hope to continue performing at the highest level for our team,” said Petaling BC’s Goh V Shem.
In the earlier match, Petaling Jaya BC got their SSPL title defence campaign off on the right note after securing a hard-fought 11-8 victory over Serdang BC during the SSPL 2017/18 curtain raiser at the Sports Arena Sentosa, Old Klang Road.
Last season’s champions, led by captain Goh Giap Chin, were quicker out of the blocks as they took an early 3-1 lead after Goh defeated Serdang’s Yu Chen 11-10, 4-11, 11-9, 11-1 in the first men’s singles match.
However, Lee Ying Ying performed tremendously to help Serdang regain the lead. Lee, who had her breakout year in the last SSPL campaign with Bangsar Hawks, trounced her Petaling Jaya opponent, Lee Zii Yii 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-6) in the women’s singles match.
It did not take long for Petaling Jaya to go ahead as their men’s doubles pair of Low Juan Shen and Chooi Kah Ming defeated Serdang’s Pei Tianyi and Tan Jinn Hwa 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-10, 11-7) in the third match.
But Serdang proved to be a tricky customer for the defending champions as they managed to grind out a result in the mixed doubles match to tie it all up at eight a piece. The Chinese Taipei pair of Chen Hsiao Huan and Lu Ching Yao edged Petaling Jaya’s K. Yogendran and Prajakta Sawant 3-2 (11-9, 7-11, 11-10, 10-11, 1-0) in a tight affair.
With the overall score tied at 8-8 after four matches, it was up to the last men’s singles match to determine the final outcome of the match. And in that match, it was Hong Kong international, Lee Cheuk Yiu of Petaling Jaya who managed to beat national shuttler, Lee Zii Jia of Serdang 3-0 (11-6, 11-2, 11-10) and steer his team to victory.
“Today’s performance wasn’t one of my best. I guess pre-match jitters kicked in. But I grew stronger as the game went on and luck was also on my side as I went on to win the match,” said Petaling Jaya’s Goh Giap Chin.
“I haven’t set any target for myself. All I can do is play my best and give my all for the team. Despite being without some of the key players from last season, I still do hope that our players can do their best as this is a team event,” added Goh.
“We will be making some changes to our line-up so that it will hopefully strengthen us for the following matches,” said Petaling Jaya’s team manager, Manoj Kumar.
SSPL 2017/18 Phase 1 Results (18/12/2017)
(8pm) Petaling BC bt Kepong BC 12-7
MS2: Kenichi Tago bt Soong Joo Ven 3-0 (11-10, 11-9, 11-9)
WS: Hera Desiana Rachmawati lost to Ho Yen Mei 1-3 (8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 6-11)
MD: Goh V Shem-Shia Chun Kang drew with Tan Chee Tean-Yang Po Han 2-2 (11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 10-8)
XD: Chen Tang Jie-Devi Tika Permatasari bt Cheah Yee See-Goh Soon Huat 3-1 (10-11, 11-8, 11-10, 6-4)
MS1: Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin bt Thongnuam Pannawit 3-1 (5-11, 11-10, 11-5, 11-10)
(4pm) Petaling Jaya BC bt Serdang BC 11-8
MS2: Goh Giap Chin bt Yu Chen 3-1 (11-10, 4-11, 11-9, 11-1)
WS: Lee Zii Yii lost to Lee Ying Ying 0-3 (5-11, 6-11, 6-11)
MD: Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan Shen bt Pei Tianyi-Tan Jinn Hwa 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-10, 11-7)
XD: K. Yogendran-Prajakta Sawant lost to Chen Hsiao Huan-Lu Ching Yao 2-3 (9-11, 11-7, 10-11, 11-10, 0-1)
MS1: Lee Cheuk Yiu bt Lee Zii Jia 3-0 (11-6, 11-2, 11-10)
SSPL 2017/18 Phase 1 Fixtures (19/12/2017)
(4pm): Ampang Jaya BC vs Cheras BC
(8pm): Bangsar Hawks BC vs Puchong United BC
