Chan-Goh Stun Second Seeds In Their Own Den

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying made a breakthrough in their careers when they upset second seeds Xu Chen-Ma Jin of China to reach the quarter-finals of the China Open in Shanghai yesterday.

World No. 9 Peng Soon-Liu Ying battled for 49 minutes to beat the All-England champions 21-14, 11-21, 21-16 in the second round.

It was their first win over a Chinese pair in their four-year-old partnership.

Today, Peng Soon-Liu Ying will take on Thailand’s A. Songphon-V. Kunchala for a place in the semi-finals and national coach Jeremy Gan hoped that the duo continue their fantastic run.

Careless V Shem Left To Rue Costly Mistake

JAKARTA: If only Goh V Shem had not served the shuttle into the net when the score was tied at 19-19 in the deciding game, it would have been a different story.

But that was what the SEA Games debutant did and the fanatical home fans in the Istora Bung Karno roared in delight.

Ankle Injury Ends Jing Yi’s Hopes Of A Bronze Medal

JAKARTA: Shuttler Tee Jing Yi was on the verge of a big upset in the SEA Games but it all fell apart after injuring her ankle during the quarter-finals of the women’s singles at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno in Senayan yesterday.

The 20-year-old was progressing confidently in the rubber game against top seed Porntip Buranaprasertsuk of Thailand but a sudden burst of movement from the backline to retrieve a shuttle at the net, while leading 16-14, caused Jing Yi to fall and injure her ankle.

She bravely fought on but while her heart was willing, her injured leg couldn’t take the strain as she tried to ward off the relentless attack by the Thai girl.

SEA GAMES: Smooth Sailing For Malaysians

There were few surprises in the Sea Games badminton individual competition at Istora Senayan yesterday as most of the national players cleared the opening round without too much trouble.

Vivian Hoo (right) and Woon Khe Wei beat Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Sen and Vu Thi Trang 21-14, 21-11 yesterday.

SEA GAMES: Second Stringers Give Hosts A Big Scare

There was not much hope to begin with but Malaysia's badminton second liners can walk tall after giving Indonesia a fright in a 3-1 defeat in the men's team final at Istora Senayan yesterday.

Goh V Shem-Lim Kim Wah being briefed on the heritage room by beat Bona Septano-Muhammad Ahsan yesterday. - Picture by Imran Makhzan

   Men's doubles Goh V Shem-Lim Kim Wah certainly will be a pair to watch when the individual events start today after scoring an upset win over top seeds Bona Septano-Muhammad Ahsan in front of a hostile crowd.

Vivian Remains Cool In Hostile And Hot Cauldron

JAKARTA: Shuttler Vivian Hoo is one cool customer.

While the entire crowd was against her at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno, the 19-year-old pencil-thin Vivian stayed calm to combine superbly with Woon Khe Wei to win the solitary point in Malaysia’s 3-1 defeat by Indonesia in the team semi-final on Saturday.

Dynamic Duo May Earn A Spot In Thomas Cup Squad

JAKARTA: Youngsters Lim Khim Wah and Goh V Shem nailed more than just a silver medal in their SEA Games debut in the men’s badminton team competition at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno in Senayan.

Their strong performance has impressed the selectors and it could earn them a place in next year’s Thomas Cup Finals squad.

Yesterday, world No. 27 Khim Wah-V Shem put up a top-class display to provide the only glitter in Malaysia’s 3-1 defeat by defending champions Indonesia.

Gritty Girls Go Down Fighting As They Pick Up The Bronze

JAKARTA: Malaysia’s young women’s badminton team showed true grit as they battled for more than four hours before going down fighting 3-1 to Indonesia on a day when rain played havoc at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno here yesterday.

The defeat saw defending champions Malaysia settling for a bronze medal.

The Malaysian girls can still walk tall as they had to take on the hosts without the services of Wong Mew Choo and Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty.

Too much to bear: Malaysia’s Tee Jing Yi reacting during her match against Indonesia’s Linda Wenifanetri in Jakarta Sunday. — AFP

They showed great composure, refusing to be overawed by the fanatical fans at the stadium.

SEA GAMES: Men Roll On, Women Crash

GOLD: Only Indonesia stand in the way

Tee Jing Yi lost to Indonesia’s Linda Wenifanetri in three games.

Malaysia marched into the Sea Games men's team final at Istora Senayan in Jakarta yesterday but the women's brave resistance ended in a 3-1 defeat to Indonesia.

   The men's swept past Singapore 3-0 with little trouble and will meet the hosts, who struggled to subdue Thailand 3-2, in tomorrow's final.

   Arif Latif was the only player to get into some trouble, needing three games to get past Ashton Chen 21-14, 12-21, 21-15 in the second singles.

 

Malaysian Women Settle For Badminton Team Bronze

JAKARTA: Despite trying their best, Malaysian went down 1-3 to Indonesia in the SEA Games badminton women's team semi-finals at the Istora Senayan Stadium here on Sunday.

With the defeat, Malaysia shared the bronze medal with Singapore, who lost 0-3 to Thailand in the other semi-final.

Indonesia will slug it out with Thailand in the final on Tuesday.

SEA GAMES: Shuttlers Shine At Istora

DOUBLE JOY: Men’s and women’s teams blast past rivals to check into semi-finals

 The Malaysian men's badminton team overcame an early stutter to beat Vietnam 3-0 in the quarter-finals at the Istora Senayan yesterday while the women advanced leisurely into the semi-finals for a showdown with Indonesia.

Liew Daren's 22-20, 21-14 defeat to Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Minh put Malaysia 1-0 down after the first singles but the 2009 silver medallists came storming back to take the tie 3-1.

 

Timely Boost For Our Mixed Doubles Pairs

JAKARTA: Shuttlers Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying became the country’s first mixed doubles pair to break into the top 10 bracket in the world – proving that Malaysia do have talent in this department.

And their breakthrough should be an inspiration to others, especially the two lesser known Malaysian pairs – Ong Jian Guo-Sabrina Chong and Mohd Lufti Zaim Abdul Khalid-Lai Pei Jing, who are getting ready for action in the Games.

National doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her praised Peng Soon-Liu Ying for their self-belief and sacrifices over the last two years that has seen them move up six rungs to No. 9 in the world in the list released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) yesterday.

Malaysian Men And Women Badminton Teams Into Semis

JAKARTA: Malaysia's men and women's SEA Games badminton teams advanced to the semifinals of the team event after defeating their respective opponents at the Istora Senayan Stadium here.

The women's team, the defending champion, will meet Indonesia in the semifinal while the men will be up against the Filipinos.

The Malaysian women made short work of the Filipinas today defeating them 3-0 to book the meeting with the hosts, who also sent the Vietnamese team packing by the same margin.

SEA GAMES: Arif: We Are Not Scared

FIGHTING TALK: Shuttler vows Malaysia will produce their best against Indonesia

Arif Latif

To expect anyone but Indonesia to win gold in the men's team event is a realistic assumption but young Malaysian shuttler Arif Latif is having none of it.

Sonia Wants To Build On Her World Junior Success In SEA Games

SEPANG: There was an extra spring in Sonia Cheah’s step when she walked out of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday.

The 17-year-old Sonia had good reason to be on cloud nine as she had played a starring role in Malaysia’s mixed team triumph at the World Junior Badminton Championships in Taipei.

Future In Zul’s Hands

SEPANG: There could be many interferences and obstructions but the future of newly-crowned junior world badminton champion Zulfadli Zulkifli is in his own hands.

Yesterday, the 18-year-old decided to stay faithful to his father cum fulltime coach Zulkifli Sidek as he begins his journey as a senior player - aspiring to become the Olympic and world champion and natural successor to world number one Lee Chong Wei.

Sonia Wants To Build On Her World Junior Success In SEA Games

EPANG: There was an extra spring in Sonia Cheah’s step when she walked out of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday.

The 17-year-old Sonia had good reason to be on cloud nine as she had played a starring role in Malaysia’s mixed team triumph at the World Junior Badminton Championships in Taipei.

Suitably motivated, she wants to build on that success. Her immediate task at senior level is to do well in her first SEA Games outing this month. Then it is back to chasing her ambition to become a more successful player than former international Wong Mew Choo.

The 17-year-old Sonia is expected to play as the third singles in the women’s team event at Jakarta from Nov 12-19.

The two other shuttlers ranked higher than Sonia are her elder sister Lydia and Tee Jing Yi.

The doubles players in the team are Indonesia Grand Prix Gold champions Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei and Goh Liu Ying-Sabrina Chong.

Their main rival for the team gold will be hosts Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, who will be banking on their three-time junior world champion Inthanon Ratchanok to mount a strong challenge.

“I performed quite well in the mixed team event. I dropped a match in the tie against Hong Kong but made up by winning a point against South Korea in the final. I can look back on my junior career and be proud of being in the winning team,” said Sonia.

“I am determined to be a good team player in my first senior tournament - the SEA Games next week. I am only competing in the team event but I may be called on to deliver if the tie is level at 2-2. I feel more confident after the world junior meet.”

Malaysia’s women’s team pulled off a surprise at the Laos Games two years ago when they defeated Indonesia for the team gold - a first in three decades.

Despite her euphoria, Sonia has one regret: “I did not live up to my own expectations in the individual event. I had hoped to reach my first semi-finals but crashed out in the last eight. It was a close fight against Nozomi Okuhara and I was unlucky to lose,” she said.

The Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) student said that her ultimate goal was to be the country’s top woman shuttler.

“It is not only about filling the void left by Mew Choo but my goal is to be even more successful than her. I know the journey ahead looks challenging but I am willing to go the extra mile to reach the top,” she said.

Malaysia’s weakest department in the national team is the women’s singles. No one has stepped up since the retirement of 2003 SEA Games singles champion Mew Choo in April this year.

Nelson-Teo Bury Chokers’ Tag With Perfect Show

PETALING JAYA: For Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Teo Ee Yi, the thought of being dubbed as chokers was unbearable.

And driven to make a point, the duo gave a spotless performance to upstage top seed and Asian junior champions Huang Po-jui-Lin Chia-yu of Taiwan 21-17, 21-17 in the boys’ doubles final of the World Junior Championships in Taiwan yesterday.

Besides the Asian junior meet in India this year, they had also crashed out in the final of last year’s world junior meet.

Driven duo: Malaysia’s Nelson Heg Wei Keat (right) and Teo Ee Yi posing with the World Junior Championships doubles trophy Sunday.

Wei Keat was happy that they were able to bid farewell to their junior careers in style.

Shuttlers Zulfadli and Wei Keat on course to being world junior champs

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttlers Zulfadli Zulkifli and Nelson Heg Wei Keat are another step closer to realising their dreams of being history-makers when they checked into the semi-finals of the World Junior Championships in Taipei yesterday.

Zulfadli had to switch his style of play after a disastrous start to beat Indonesia’s Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo 10-21, 21-10, 21-16 in a 43-minute quarter-final match.

Sonia And Nelson Enter Two Quarter- Finals Each In World Juniors

PETALING JAYA: Sonia Cheah served up a double joy for Malaysia in the World Junior Badminton Championships when she checked into two quarter-finals in Taipei yesterday.

The 17-year-old Sonia exacted sweet revenge over Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi 21-6, 15-21, 24-22 to set up a clash against Nozomi Okuhara for a place in the girls’ singles semi-finals.

She and Yang Li Lian then scored a convincing 21-18, 21-12 win over Chloe Birch-Emily Westwood of England to advance to the doubles quarter-finals. Awaiting them are the formidable South Koreans Lee So-he-Shin Seung-chan.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) junior programme coordinator Hau Kim Tho was happy that Sonia had made a quick rebound.

Living dangerously: Malaysia’s Teo Ee Yi (front) and Nelson Heg Wei Keat slogged for a 15-21, 22-20, 21-19 win over Japan’s Kento Momota-Taichi Saito in their World Junior Badminton Championships’ boys’ doubles third round match Thursday.