Singapore: Malaysia had a total of five doubles pairs competing in the second round of the Singapore Open on Thursday, but, only men’s doubles pairs – Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi, world champions Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, and mixed doubles Chen Tangjie/Toh Ee Wei emerged victorious and advanced to the next round.
Men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun, as well as the mixed doubles, pair Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai, suffered defeats.
Highlights of Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi vs. Pramudya Kusumawardana/Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan in second round of 2023 Singapore Open:
Ranked 7th in the world, Malaysia’s independent pair Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi comfortably secured a spot in the quarterfinals by beating Indonesia’s 2022 Badminton Asia Championships champions Pramudya Kusumawardana/Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan 21-17 and 21-18. The Singapore Open is Ong/Teo’s eighth tournament this year, and Ong/Teo have advanced to at least the quarter-finals in six of them. They reached the final at the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships but ultimately finished as runners-up, and they also reached the semi-finals of the Swiss Open.
Ong/Teo will face World No. 9 Choi Sol Gyu/Kim Won Ho next after Choi/Kim outlasted “the Daddies” Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan 23-21, 21-17, securing the last spot in the men’s doubles quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik secured their first victory against Indonesia’s 2022 All England champions – Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Bagas Maulana 21-18 and 21-17. This is the second consecutive tournament where Chia/Soh reached the quarter-finals, following their participation in the Malaysia Masters Super 500 two weeks ago. It is their ninth tournament appearance this year and their fourth time advancing to the quarter-finals. If Chia/Soh can defeat the defending champions Leo Rolly Carnando/Daniel Marthin from Indonesia on Friday, it will be their second semi-final appearance this year, after finishing as runners-up in the India Super 750.
Although they won the World Championships in 2022, Chia/Soh have yet to win a championship at the BWF World Tour level since they teamed up in 2017.
The rising pair Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun, who successfully reached the final at the Malaysia Masters two weeks ago, put up a hard-fought battle but were defeated by the World No. 3 Chinese pair Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang with scores of 18-21, 21-18, and 13-21.
Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong put up a strong fight in the men’s singles second round against last week’s Thailand Open champion – Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Nevertheless, Vitidsarn proved to be stronger and won the match 21-18, 22-24, 21-13.
In mixed doubles, Chen Tangjie/Toh Ee Wei also made it to the quarter-finals. The World No. 21 defeated the Dutch pair Robin Tabeling/Selena Piek with 21-17 in two sets, avenging their loss in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Open earlier this year. Chen/Toh will face Hong Kong’s
World No. 24 Reginald Lee Chun Hei/Ng Tsz Yau on Friday. Lee/Ng overcame Malaysia’s Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai 14-21, 21-16, 21-9 on Thursday.
