20-07-2025
Juniors left with daunting task after loss to Indonesia
PETALING JAYA: The junior shuttlers face a daunting task against giants China in the quarter-finals of the Asian Junior Championships mixed team event today after losing to hosts Indonesia in their last group match.
World Junior Championships girls' doubles silver medallists Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu beat Riska Anggraini-Rinjani Nastine to make it 22-20 in the second match after Kong Wei Xing had lost 5-11 to Mohd Zaki Ubaidillah in the opening boys' singles tie.
However, it was not enough to prevent Malaysia from going down 92-110 to the Indonesians in their last Group B match in Solo yesterday.
The defeat meant that Malaysia finished second in the group and now have to face China, who finished top of Group C after overcoming South Korea 110-95.
Team manager Leong Kin Weng admitted that Indonesia were the better team and now Malaysia have a tough task against defending champions China.
'In today's (yesterday) match, Wei Xiang did not perform as we expected,' said Kin Weng.
'Dania-Zi Yu maintained their standard in the second match but Oo Shan Zi (girls' singles) was nervous and could not perform well.
'Overall, Indonesia were the stronger team.
'We will be meeting China tomorrow (today) in the quarter-finals and it will be a very tough match.'
The shuttlers need to raise their game if they hope to at least equal last year's bronze medal win.
In the other last eight matches, Indonesia will take on South Korea, Japan face India while Thailand will play Hong Kong.
