Melaka duo overcome slow start to claim Girls’ Under-13 Doubles title in Qualifying Round 8
KUALA LUMPUR, 26 SEPT: Melaka’s Koh Zaenn-Eva Jane Lian will bank on their strong chemistry when they make their Allianz Junior Badminton Championship (AJBC) Grand Finals debut in December after winning the Girls’ Under-13 Doubles title at the AJBC 2026 Qualifying Round 8 in Melaka.
The 13-year-olds bounced back from losing the opening game to defeat Yew Xin Hui and Yew Xin Min of SMK Taman Selesa Jaya 2, 8-15, 15-7, 15-8, with their understanding of each other proving crucial in the comeback.
Zaenn said their partnership had grown stronger despite not having trained together extensively since they were paired a year ago. The SMJK Tinggi Cina Melaka student will now target a double at the Grand Finals after also winning the Girls’ Under-13 Singles title in Melaka.
She defeated her doubles partner Jane 15-10, 15-12 in the singles final, while Jane, a student of SMK Paya Rumput, also reached the semi-finals of this year’s Junior Elite Tour (JET) One alongside Zaenn.
Jane believes their contrasting strengths make them an effective partnership, with Zaenn’s height allowing her to cover the back court while she focuses on the front court and areas around the net.
In the Girls’ Under-15 category, Ivy Liau Xin Yi of SMK Setia Alam also enjoyed a successful qualifying round by winning both the Singles and Doubles titles. She defeated doubles partner Adiq Puteri Waheeda 15-4, 6-15, 15-12 in the singles final before teaming up with her to beat Goh Wen Xuan and Law Kai Ling 12-15, 15-6, 15-7 in the doubles final.
The fifth edition of the AJBC, organised by Allianz Malaysia Berhad with support from the Badminton Association of Malaysia and the Sports, Co-curricular and Arts Division of the Ministry of Education, features 10 qualifying rounds before the Grand Finals in Kuala Lumpur. The tournament does not charge entrance fees and has grown into one of the country’s popular junior badminton events.