THERE was no cheer for the local fans as Chua Khek Wei-Joyce Choong failed to win the mixed doubles title while South Korean Choi Sol Kyu achieved a double in the inaugural Maybank Malaysia Junior Open at Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara yesterday.
Khek Wei-Joyce began impressively but allowed Asian Junior champions Sol Kyu-Chae Yoo Jung to come back from a game down to secure a 18-21, 21-16, 21-12 win in 53 minutes.
Sol Kyu had earlier completed his giant-killing run in the boys' singles by toppling favourite Sitthikom Thamassin of Thailand 21-12, 21-16 in 40 minutes, and his superior fitness helped his cause in the mixed doubles which was played just one and a half hours later.
Khek Wei-Joyce appeared to be taking advantage of a tired-looking Sol Kyu and Yoo Jung, who had also played in the girls' doubles final earlier, in the first game when they snatched a 21-18 win. But the Koreans battled hard in the second game to win 21-16 and take the momentum away from the Malaysians.
Khek Wei-Joyce could only match the Koreans early in the deciding game as Sol Kyu-Yoo Jung raced to an easy victory and in the process, signalled that they will be the pair to beat in the World Junior Championships in Chiba, Japan on Oct 25-Nov 3.
Khek Wei, 16, said impatience cost him and Joyce the title as they allowed Sol Kyu-Yoo Jung to make a strong comeback.
"We are a little disappointed as we started well and thought we could nail it as Sol Kyu was tired. But we were impatient to kill off the rallies and this led to our downfall," said Khek Wei.
"We knew that it was not going to be easy as they are the Asian Junior champions but we could have done better. I could not sustain my attacks towards the end as I got tired and made too many errors."
He added: "I hope to be selected to play in the World Juniors where we are are aiming to do better and if we meet the Koreans again, we will be trying hard to secure a win."
South Korea also won two more titles while Indonesia, who bagged the boys' doubles title, denied them a clean sweep.
The girls' singles crown went to Lee Min Ji who defeated compatriot Kim Hyo Min 21-19, 20-22, 21-17 while the girls' doubles final was also an all-Korean affair where Lee Sun Min-Shin Seung Chan defeated Yoo Jung-Kim Ji Won 22-24, 23-21, 21-15.
Arya Maulana Adiartama-Edi Subaktiar defeated compatriots Faizal Hafiz-Putra Eka Rhoma 21-19, 21-12 in an all-Indonesia final.
RESULTS (All Finals) -- Boys' singles: Choi Sol Kyu (Kor) bt Sitthikom Thamassin (Tha) 21-12, 21-16.
Doubles: Arya Maulana Adiartama-Edi Subaktiar (Ina) bt Faizal Hafiz-Putra Eka Rhoma (Ina) 21-19, 21-12.
Girls' singles: Lee Min Ji (Kor) bt Kim Hyo Min (Kor) 21-19, 20-22, 21-17.
Doubles: Lee Sun Min-Shin Seung Chan bt Chae Yoo Jung-Kim Ji Won (Kor) 22-24, 23-21, 21-15.
Mixed Doubles: Choi Sol Kyu-Chae Yoo Jung (Kor) bt Chua Khek Wei-Joyce Choong (Mas) 18-21, 21-16, 21-12.
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