First Round Exit for Chong Wei

KUALA LUMPUR (17 January, 2018): It was a day to forget for top national shuttler, Datuk Lee Chong Wei as he lost in the first round of the Perodua Malaysia Masters 2018 (PMM2018) presented by Daihatsu at the Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur Sports City today.

Chong Wei could not find a way past the stubborn Kenta Nishimoto of Japan as he lost in three sets 19-21, 21-18, 19-21.

“I’ll have to move forward from this loss and start preparing straight away for the Thomas Cup qualifiers as it is an important tournament for the national team. I’ll also sit with my coaches and plan strategically for the remainder of the year,” said Chong Wei.

Soong Joo Ven and Iskandar Zulkarnain also crashed out of the PMM2018 men’s singles category, leaving Lee Zii Jia as the only men’s singles player shouldering the national charge. Soong lost to French international Brice Leverdez 8-21, 12-21 while Iskandar was beaten by Danish Anders Antonsen 10-21, 21-11, 9-21.

In the men’s doubles category, Tan Wee Kiong-Goh V Shem and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi made it through to the second round by defeating Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov (22-20 22-20) and Lim Khim Wah-Yoo Yeon Seong (21-15 21-18) in their respective matches.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian women’s doubles pairs of Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean and Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei booked their tickets to the next stage of the PMM2018. Chow and Lee overcame countrywomen, Goh Yea Ching and Teoh Mei Xing 21-15, 21-15 while Vivian and Khe Wei knocked Chinese Taipei pair Lin Xiao Min and Wu Fang Chien out of the PMM2018 with a 21-18, 21-17 win.

National women’s singles, Goh Jin Wei also qualified for the next round as she breezed past Hanna Ramadini of Indonesia 21-15 21-19 but Soniia Cheah and Lim Yin Fun failed in to join her. Despite giving good accounts of themselves, Soniia and Yin Fun lost to World No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying and World No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi respectively.

“This is my second tournament of the year so I am happy win my match today as it was a close encounter. I felt lucky to come away with the win but I stuck to my strategy which was to win point by point,” said Jin Wei.

“I will face top shuttlers in this tournament no matter how far I progress but I will know how to handle the pressure. I feel that I am now capable of doing so despite my age. I will study my flaws again from today to prepare for my match tomorrow,” added the 17-year old.

Perodua Malaysia Masters 2018 Round 1 Results (17 January 2018)
*results involving Malaysian players only

Men’s Singles:
Lee Zii Jia (MAS) bt Emil Holst (Den) 21-12 21-18
Liew Daren (MAS) bt Son Wan Ho (KOR) 21-15 21-13
Anders Antonsen (DEN) bt Iskandar Zulkarnain (MAS) 21-10 11-21 21-9
Brice Leverdez (FRA) bt Soong Joo Ven (MAS) 21-8 21-12
Kenta Nishimoto (JPN) bt Lee Chong Wei (MAS) 19-21 21-18 19-21
Men’s Doubles:
Liu Cheng-Zhang Nan (CHN) bt Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan Shen (MAS) 21-14 21-16
Berry Angriawan-Hardianto Haridanto (INA) bt Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (MAS) 21-12 21-11
Lu Kai-Wang Yilyu (CHN) bt Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin (MAS) 21-17 21-18
Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi (MAS) bt Lim Khim Wah (MAS)-Yoo Yeon Seong (KOR) 21-15 21-18
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kong (MAS) bt Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov (RUS) 22-20 22-20
Women’s Singles:
Lee Ying Ying (MAS) bt Evgeniya Kosetskaya (RUS) 21-17 23-21
Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) bt Lim Yin Fun (MAS) 18-21 21-17 21-12
Tai Tzu Ying (TPE) bt Soniia Cheah (MAS) 18-21 21-12 21-12
Goh Jin Wei (MAS) bt Hanna Ramadini (INA) 21-15 21-19
Women’s Doubles:
Tee Jing Yi-Soong Fie Cho (MAS) bt Liu Xuanxuan-Zhou Chaomin (CHN) 21-16 21-18
Lim Yin Loo-Yap Cheng Wen (MAS) bt S. Paewsampran-K. Sudjaipraparat (THA) 21-17 21-17
Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean (MAS) bt Goh Yeah Ching-Teoh Mei Xing (MAS) 21-15 21-15
Chang Ye Na-Jung Kyung Eun (KOR) bt Lim Chiew Sien-Yap Zhen (MAS) 21-17 21-15
Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (MAS) bt Lin Xiao Min-Wu Fang Chien (TPE) 21-18 21-17
Mixed Doubles:
Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Puttita Supajirakul (THA) bt Chen Tang Jie-Cheah Yee See (MAS) 21-19 19-21 21-11