Triple shock – Malaysia’s top doubles pairs crash

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National men’s doubles Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong in action at the Stadium Perpaduan yesterday. — Photo by Muhd Rais Sanusi

KUCHING: The nation’s top men, women’s and mixed doubles pairs all crashed out in the first round of the Malaysian Open yesterday.

2014 Commonwealth Games champions Vivian Hoo and Woon Khe Wei battled through a 85-minute marathon only to lose 21-13, 17-21, 26-28 to China’s Bao Yixin and Yu Xiaohan.

Even more shocking was the loss of Malaysia’s top doubles pair of Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong. The 2016 Olympic silver medalists were beaten in straights sets 17-21, 21-23 by the Hong Kong combination of Or Chin Chung and Tan Chung Man.

Local fans were in for another shock when Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying, who won the silver at last year’s Olympic Games in Rio, lost in three sets 21-18, 19-21, 17-21 to Indonesia’s Edi Subaktiar and Gloria E. Widjaja.

Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing also lost in a three setter which means there will be no Malaysian pair for the second round of the mixed doubles.

Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan Shen are the two remaining pairs from Malaysia to advance to the second round of the men’s doubles.

Local interest in the women’s doubles now rests on Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean who were the only Malaysian pair to survive the first round.