KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — After having retired during the match in two straight Europe outings due to a hamstring injury last month, two-time world junior champion Goh Jin Wei is now fit to play in the 2022 Malaysia Masters here today.
As such, Jin Wei, who had already moved on from the injury that she suffered in Italian International as well as Denmark Masters, is now hoping to have a good tournament held in Axiata Arena. In Italian International, the world number 69 shuttler retired after losing the first game 24-26 to Taiwanese player, Wen Chi Hsu in the last four and had to deal with a similar circumstance when she trailed 4-8 to India’s Tanya Hemath in the first round of Denmark Masters.
“There’s no excuse for me now because I’m in a good condition to play here,” she told reporters after she won against Malvika Bansod from India, 21-10, 21-17 in the qualification stage match.
The Penangite will next play American shuttler, Beiwen Zhang, in the first round.
Meanwhile, national men’s singles player, Leong Jun Hao, ranked 130th best in the world, created not one but two upsets against higher-ranked players, after beating professional shuttler, Cheam June Wei and 2022 Badminton Asia Championships bronze medallist, Weng Hong Yang in the qualifying round.
More interestingly, Jun Hao staged quite a magnificent comeback in both matches as he ousted world number 73 June Wei, 16-21, 21-15, 21-16 in the first match and Hong Yang, ranked 50th best, 5-21, 21-17, 21-13, in the second match.
Jun Hao, who will take on Thai player Kantaphon Wangcharoen in the opening round, said the overwhelming support from home fans had motivated him to do all out in the second set and decider in both matches.
In the meantime, the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s top shuttler, Ng Tze Yong also made it to the opening round after he defeated compatriot Yeoh Seng Zoe, 21-12, 21-13 in the first match followed by another straight-set win over South Korea’s Lee Dong Keun 21-8, 21-12.
Tze Yong admitted that he is now in much better shape for this tournament after he crashed out early at the hands of Lu Guang Zu of China, 16-21, 23-21, 18-21 in the first round of the 2022 Malaysia Open, last week.
Another professional player, Soong Joo Ven overcame young national shuttler Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin 14-21, 21-14, 21-16, and Victor Svendsen of Denmark, 21-9, 16-21, 21-10, to set up a first-round clash against Li Shi Feng of China.
In the men’s doubles category, Chia Weijie-Low Hang Yee went down to China’s Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang, 21-16, 21-15, while Thailand women’s doubles pair, Supissara Paewsampran-Puttita Supajirakul denied the first round spot for the home duo, Yap Rui Chen-Yap Yee, with 21-16, 21-8 win. — Bernama
