Men’s singles Wei Feng seals winning points against S. Korea, women crash out in tight clash with Denmark
Goh Jin Wei plays a return during the women’s singles match against Mette Poulsen of Denmark. — Bernama photos
Chong Wei Feng celebrates after defeating Hyeok Jinn Jeon of South Korea.
KUNSHAN, China: Malaysia’s third singles Chong Wei Feng can walk tall after displaying a smashing performance to deliver the winning point for the Thomas Cup team against South Korea yesterday.
In Uber action, the women’s squad failed to stir a similar performance against Denmark, allowing the Danes to clinch a spot in the quarters after a closely contested battle.
Wei Feng, who is currently ranked world 68, performed brilliantly to sweep aside higher ranked opponent Jeon Hyeok Jin 21-16, 21-16.
“I feel very happy because it has been some time since I played as good as I did today. I am very satisfied, what is important is that we topped our group.
“But our mission is not over, we have not reached out target. For now we have to stay calm.
“When the tie is like this (2-2), I always make the pressure my motivation to play better because we are team players,” Wei Feng told reporters.
Malaysia topped Group C by edging South Korea 3-2 and managed to avoid seeded teams like China in the quarterfinals.
Malaysia registered three straight wins, 4-1 against England and 5-0 over Germany en route to topping Group C.
Apart from Malaysia, the other countries that advanced to the quarterfinals are defending champions Japan, hosts China from Group A, Indonesia, Thailand (Group B), Denmark, Taiwan (Group D) and South Korea as the runners-up in Group C.
The draw for the quarterfinals is expected to take place after all matches are completed.
In the tie against South Korea held at the Kunshan Sports Centre yesterday, world number two Datuk Lee Chong Wei beat Son Wan Ho 21-18, 21-15 in straight sets in the opener but the Koreans levelled the tie when scratch doubles pair of Goh V Shem/Koo Kien Keat lost to Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong in straight sets 16-21, 11-21.
Second singles player Iskandar Zulkarnain came on court to upset world ranked 16th, Lee Dong Keun 21-17, 21-15 and put Malaysia back on the winning track.
But the country’s second scratch pair Tan Boon Heong/Tan Wee Kiong failed to deliver the much needed winning point after they lost to Kim Gi Jung/Kim Sa Rang 14-21, 22-24 leaving things to “go down to the wire”.
Team captain Chong Wei said that as the first singles player, it was important to deliver the first point as an encouragement to the other players.
“Today’s game was very different from our first and second. Son Wan Ho is a top class player.
“But what was important was to deliver the first points and try to ensure Malaysia topped the group,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s hopes of making it to the Uber Cup quarterfinals were blown out after losing 2-3 to Denmark.
It was the squad’s second straight defeat in Group A since they had also lost 0-5 to China on Sunday.
Tee Jing Yi who came in as the first singles failed to deliver the first point after losing 11-21, 9-21 to Line Kjaersfeldt in straight sets.
The women’s double scratch pair Amelia Alicia Anscelly/Woon Khe Wei put up an outstanding performance to stretch world number five pair Chritinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl before losing 16-21, 17-21.
Malaysia, trailing 0-2, brought on 16-year-old Goh Jin Wei who excelled to snatch a point from the Danish side when she disposed Mette Poulsen 21-18, 21-13 in straight sets to make it 1-2.
Another doubles scratch pair Goh Liu Ying/Vivian Hoo came on put up another sizzling display to level the tie at 2-2 by smashing their way to a 21-18, 22-24, 21-12 victory over Maiken Fruergaard/Sara Thygesen.
Unfortunately, the third singles Ho Yen Mei who won the first set 24-22, failed to maintain her rhythm and lost the second and third sets 13-21, 13-21 to end Malaysia’s quarterfinal hopes in the Uber Cup competition.
Badminton Association of Malaysia technical director Morten Frost Hansen said he was disappointed with Jing Yi’s performance since she did not live up to expectation.
“Actually everything went according to our plan but the first singles was a disappointment. It’s not the fact that we lost it because we feel that it is a 50-50 match but that’s the way we lost it.
Credit should be given to national second singles and doubles pair who registered two points to level the tie at 2-2 which revived Malaysia’s hopes.
Malaysia will next take Spain to complete the Group A match. — Bernama