KUALA LUMPUR (28 January 2018): Puchong United Badminton Club (BC) tasted defeat for the first time in this season’s SS Purple League (SSPL) after falling to Cheras BC 4-13 in their Stage 2 Group A match at the Sports Arena Sentosa, Old Klang Road today.

With the Grand Finals looming, leaders Puchong United BC rested several key players in their last Stage 2 match as they have already secured a place in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile Cheras BC was desperate to register a big win as they needed 11 points to overtake Petaling BC for an automatic semi-finals slot in next month’s SSPL Finals.

National shuttler, Chong Yee Han’s experience shone through as the Cheras BC’s first men’s singles triumphed over Puchong United BC’s Chia Weijie 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-7) to give his team a bright start.

Puchong United BC managed to grind out a 3-1 success in the women’s singles match courtesy of Deng Xuan’s 11-8, 9-11, 11-2, 11-9 win against Cheras BC’s Bellaetrix Manuputty.

Cheras BC recovered swiftly to take the men’s doubles match. The experience of Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Mohd Arif Ab Latif proved pivotal as they cruised past their opponents, Adam Lau Yu Ming and Wong Wai Jun in straight sets (11-3, 11-8, 11-7).

Ahmad Maziri Mazlan and Shela Devi Aulia’s 3-1 win in the mixed doubles match meant that Cheras BC was one point away from the automatic semi-finals spot. The pair beat Puchong United BC’s Mak Hee Chun and Ng Qi Xuan 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8.

Cheras BC’s old head, Chong Wei Feng duly delivered in the last match of the SSPL 2017/18 Stage 2 as he trashed Puchong United BC’s Alfred Lau Yu Leong 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-8).

“I am proud of my team’s efforts as we worked really hard to eventually finish second and enter the semi-finals directly. We will take it step by step and obviously aim to enter the final next,” said Cheras BC’s head coach, Rashid Sidek.

“But I am wary of the other teams such as Petaling BC as we do not know their true strengths. Despite that, I just want my own players to work even harder in training and focus on our own gameplay,” he added.

In Group B, Petaling BC ended their SSPL 2017/18 Stage 2 campaign on the right note after defeating Ampang Jaya BC 14-7 earlier today.

Cheras BC joins Puchong United BC in earning byes into the SSPL 2017/18 semi-finals while Petaling BC, Ampang Jaya BC, Kepong BC and Petaling Jaya BC will have to go through the quarter-final round.

SS Purple League 2017/18 Stage 2 Results (28 January 2018)

Group A:
(8pm) Puchong United BC lost to Cheras BC 4-13
MS2: Chia Weijie lost to Chong Yee Han 0-3 (8-11, 7-11, 7-11)
WS: Deng Xuan bt Bellaetrix Manuputty 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-2, 11-9)
MD: Adam Lau Yu Ming-Wong Wai Jun lost to Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Mohd Arif Ab Latif 0-3 (3-11, 8-11, 7-11)
XD: Mak Hee Chun-Ng Qi Xuan lost to Ahmad Maziri Mazlan-Shela Devi Aulia 1-3 (11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 8-11)
MS1: Alfred Lau Yu Leong lost to Chong Wei Feng 0-3 (5-11, 5-11, 8-11)

Group B:
(4pm) Ampang Jaya BC lost to Petaling BC 7-14
MS2: Tan Jia Wei lost to Kenichi Tago 2-3 (11-6, 9-11, 3-11, 11-7, 6-11)
WS: Xu Wei lost to Hera Desiana Rachmawati 0-3 (10-11, 7-11, 9-11)
MD: Markis Kido-Muhd Syawal Mohd Ismail lost to Aaron Chia-Man Wei Chong 1-3 (3-11, 11-9, 9-11, 5-11)
XD: Lee Shun Mei-Lukhi Apri Nugroho lost to Devi Tika Permatasari-Irfan Fadhilah 1-3 (11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 6-8)
MS1: Nguyen Tien Minh bt Cheam June Wei 3-2 (3-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 7-1)