Justin powers into Macau Open final after gritty win
He will now face either Indonesia's Alwi Farhan or India's Lakshya Sen in the title match on Sunday (Aug 2).
Playing at the Macau East Asian Games Dome, Justin carried high hopes of reaching his first final of the year after a string of inconsistent performances in previous tournaments and he finally did it.
Justin, ranked 45th in the world and just two spots above Tharun, did not have it easy though as the Indian played aggressively to take the opening game.
However, the Malaysian regrouped in the second game to force a decider, and after a gruelling 81-minute battle, Justin emerged victorious with a 19-21, 21-16, 21-16 win.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
3 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Pearly-Thinaah are Rexy's blueprint for inconsistent Tang Jie-Ee Wei
KUALA LUMPUR: National coaching director Rexy Mainaky believes Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah's growing maturity as a women's doubles pair holds a valuable lesson for mixed doubles Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei. World No. 3 Tang Jie-Ee Wei briefly split earlier this year before reuniting at the Singapore Open in June. Since then, they've made three semi-final appearances — at the Indonesia Open, Japan Open and Macau Open — and reached the quarter-finals of the China Open. Ahead of the World Championships in Paris (Aug 26-Sept 1), Rexy has urged them to rebuild trust and chemistry — much like world No. 2 Pearly and Thinaah, who never split despite going through a rocky patch of their own. Pearly-Thinaah's relationship hit choppy waters in late 2023 when the pair were visibly not communicating during a match. But they ironed out their differences and climbed to a career-best No. 2 ranking, reaching seven World Tour finals in the past 12 months and claiming two titles. "Pearly-Thinaah also had their problems," said Rexy. "Before this, Pearly didn't seem to accept Thinaah's unforced errors. But now she's learned to live with them — and look at their consistency today. "It's about acceptance. Players are human. You can't just press a button and expect perfection. "If you want to succeed as a pair, you must accept your partner's weaknesses and help them through the tough moments." Rexy said Tang Jie-Ee Wei still show signs of mental fragility under pressure — particularly when matches don't go their way early on. "They can play well when things are smooth, but when opponents fight back or it gets tight, you can see panic creeping in," he said. "This isn't about technique. It's mindset. They need to ask themselves — what are we here for? Are we aligned? Are we ready to fight as a team?" The Indonesian-born coach, known for his straight-talking style, added that the coaching staff can only do so much with tactics and drills — the rest is up to the players. "You can't fix this by working on net play or rotation drills," he said. "The key lies in their thinking."They need to fully accept each other and be in sync — otherwise all their preparation won't mean much." In Paris, Malaysian shuttlers will be gunning for a second world title following Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik's historic men's doubles victory in Tokyo in 2022. Malaysia have never won a medal in the women's doubles. The last time Malaysia reached the mixed doubles podium was in 2006, when Koo Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty claimed bronze in Madrid. With Tang Jie-Ee Wei and Pearly-Thinaah spearheading the challenge in those events, Rexy hopes both pairs can turn lessons from past struggles into podium success.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia's rising shuttlers make gains in BWF world rankings
KUALA LUMPUR: A string of standout performances at the Macau Open has propelled several Malaysian back-up shuttlers up the BWF world rankings, with men's singles Justin Hoh and men's doubles Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King leading the charge. Justin, 21, climbed eight rungs to a career-best No. 37 after reaching his first-ever World Tour final in the Super 300 tournament, bringing him a step closer to the crucial top-32 bracket that grants full access to all tiers of the World Tour. Fresh from lifting their maiden World Tour title in Macau, Arif-Roy King rose two spots to No. 22 in the men's doubles list — also a personal best for the pair. There was a much-needed boost too for Choong Hon Jian-Haikal Nazri, whose semi-final finish earned them a nine-spot jump to No. 43, a timely result after a run of early exits since returning from a lengthy injury spell in May. Meanwhile, Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing's surprise run to the mixed doubles final paid off handsomely, as they surged from No. 127 to No. 84, marking their first entry into the world's top 100 since forming their partnership earlier this season. While most of Malaysia's top shuttlers skipped the Macau Open, there were still noticeable shifts in the latest world rankings due to the expiry of Paris 2024 Olympic points in the BWF's 52-week rolling system. Among the hardest hit was Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia, who slipped 17 spots to No. 52 in the men's singles — his lowest ranking since November 2016. However, the former All England champion, sidelined since March due to injury, will benefit from a protected ranking of No. 9, which allows him entry into all World Tour events (except the season-ending Finals) until year-end. Zii Jia is slated to make his comeback at the World Championships later this month. Leong Jun Hao remains Malaysia's highest-ranked men's singles player at No. 25. In the men's doubles, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik held steady at No. 2, while Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin reclaimed the No. 3 spot from Denmark's Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, with the Danes dropping points from last year's Olympic campaign. Malaysia boasts six pairs inside the top 32, including Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (No. 7), Nur Azryin Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong (No. 24) and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi (No. 29). In the women's doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah held firm at a career-high No. 2, with Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing moving up two spots to No. 18 following reshuffling above them. Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei's run to the Macau Open semi-finals couldn't quite offset the Olympic point expiry — they slipped from No. 3 to No. 4 in the mixed doubles. Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai improved to No. 6, while Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin (No. 16) and Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien (No. 32) round out Malaysia's top four pairs. In women's singles, K. Letshanaa continues to lead the Malaysian pack at No. 40.
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Van Der Sar recalls Amri's 'Good Goal' in Johor Bahru
A heartwarming reunion between football legends Edwin Van Der Sar and Amri Yahyah in Johor Bahru has rekindled fond memories of one of Malaysian football's most celebrated moments. The former Manchester United goalkeeper and Malaysia's retired striker met during a recent promotional event in the southern Malaysian city, where their historic encounter from 16 years ago became the center of conversation. Van Der Sar had graciously acknowledged the quality of Amri's famous strike, describing it as 'one of the good goals that I have ever witnessed' when reflecting on their 2009 clash. The touching moment was captured on video, showing the Dutch legend recognizing Amri with a warm handshake while recalling 'seeing him' during that memorable match, drawing laughter from the audience and entertaining reactions from social media users. The goal in question was a spectacular left-footed chip from approximately 25 meters that caught Van Der Sar off guard during the friendly match, helping Malaysia level the score at 2-1 before halftime LRT Shah Alam Line (LRT3) | Amri's heroics didn't end there, as the national team striker, playing under then-coach Datuk K. Rajagobal, went on to score a second goal against substitute goalkeeper Ben Foster in the second half, showcasing the attacking prowess that made him a Malaysian football icon. Despite Malaysia's brave performance and Amri's double strike, Manchester United ultimately prevailed 3-2 in what remains one of the most thrilling international friendlies played on Malaysian soil. The recent reunion has reignited nostalgia among Malaysian football fans, many of whom still regard Amri's performance against the English Premier League giants as one of the finest displays by a national team player against world-class opposition. Facebook user Anas Kerkez Reds remarked: 'Both legends.'
