KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 - Malaysia started the day at the Singapore Open Badminton Championships with four quarter-finalists: three pairs in men’s doubles and one in mixed doubles.
At the end of the day, none survived, not even defending men’s doubles champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik.
The world number two and second seeds went down 15-21, 15-21 to China's world No 5 Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in just 31 minutes to complete a miserable day for the Malaysian men’s doubles camp at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Earlier, former world number one Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani managed to at least put up a good fight before going down 18-21, 21-10, 14-21 to third-seeded Indonesians Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Shohibul Fikri.
Credit also to rising stars Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai, who fought tooth and nail against India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty for 65 minutes before succumbing 21-19, 17-21, 13-21.
Yesterday, world No 23 Kang-Tai, competing in only their second Super 750 tournament, stunned world No 7 Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani of Indonesia 21-19, 21-17 in 38 minutes in the second round.
There was no joy for Malaysia in mixed doubles either when world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, who were leading 18-16 in the opening game, had to concede a walkover to India's Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto in their quarter-final clash due to an injury to Toh.