Hochiminh: In a battle between an independent player and a player from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), World No. 67 Cheam June Wei who left BAM at the end of 2021, outlasted World No. 90 Leong Jun Hao who finished runner-up at last week’s Malaysian Games, 21-15, 21-14 in a 40-minute Vietnam Open second-round clash on Wednesday.
Cheam will play World No. 217 Kiran Kumar Mekala of India next.
In addition to Cheam, two other Malaysian players also made the third round. Lee Shun Yang will meet Le Manh An Tran of Vietnam while Ong Ken Yon is set to play Rithvik Sanjeevi Satish Kumar of India on Thursday.
After saving 5 game points in the first game, the mixed doubles No. 6 seeds Low Juan Shen/Goh Liu Ying came back from 16-20 to win the first game 23-21 against Van Hai Pham/Van Anh Than of Vietnam in the first round. Low/Goh were in total control in the second set to beat the Vietnamese pair 21-14 and will play another Vietnamese pair Anh Gia Huy Nguyen/My Tien Lam in the second round.
Malaysia has a total of 6 men’s doubles pairs moved into the second round. The 2014 Malaysia Open champions Goh V Shem/Lim Khim Wah defeated No. 7 seeds Weeraphat Phakjarung/Wongsathorn Thongkham of Thailand 21-17, 21-15 to meet compatriots and World No. 89 Chia Weijie/Low Hang Yee next.
Meanwhile, in women’s singles, Malaysia’s No. 7 seed Goh Jin Wei survived a gallant challenge by 15-year-old Pitchamon Opatniputh of Thailand and rallied from 18-20 down in the decider to win the thrilling three-setter 21-18, 13-21, 23-21 in 45 minutes.
Goh is scheduled to meet Ira Sharma of India in the second round.
The women’s singles No. 5 seeds Kisona Selvaduray also advanced and will next face Thet Htar Thuzar of Myanmar.
