KUALA LUMPUR: While all attention was on Lee Zii Jia crashing out in the second round of the Malaysia Open, national women's doubles Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing scored their biggest career win to check into their maiden Super 750 quarter-finals today.
The Malaysians, currently ranked No 44 in the world, were in sizzling form as they came back from a game down to upset world No 3 Lee So Hee-Shin Seung Chan of South Korea 18-21, 21-12, 21-15.
Anna-Mei Xing, who had never come this far in a major tournament, took full advantage of the strong draught at the Axiata Arena, something the Korean pair failed to manage.
"We played to the drift," Mei Xing said after the match.
"It was our strategy because we noticed the Koreans were not comfortable with it. We took full advantage.
"There was also less pressure on us, as the fans were all fixed on Zii Jia's match," added Mei Xing.
Anna-Mei Xing, whose best achievement was winning the Super 300 Syed Modi International in January, will face fifth seeds Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara of Japan, next.
Two other national doubles, world No 10 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, and newcomers Low Yeen Yuan-Valeree Siow, however, failed to clear the second stage.
Pearly-Thinaah succumbed 21-19, 21-15 to China's Zhang Shu Xian-Zheng Yu, while Yeen Yuan-Valeree were outclassed by world No 1 Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan, also from China, 21-12, 21-9.
Earlier, World No 5 Zii Jia who played on court one, went down in three games 19-21, 21-19, 21-16 to Indonesia's Shesar Hiren Rhustavito, ending Malaysia's interest in men's singles.
Another big upset of the day came in the men's doubles event, when independent shuttlers, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi stunned reigning Olympic champions Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin of Taiwan 21-17, 21-18.
The 2021 World Championships bronze medallists will face Indonesia's sixth seeds, Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto tomorrow, for a place in the last four.
Also reaching the last eight were world No 6 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, who made easy work of Singapore's Terry Hee-Loh Kean Hean 21-16, 21-13, while German Open champions Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were handed a walkover by India's Thomas Cup winning duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will face third seeds Muhammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia, while Sze Fei-Izzuddin will take on recently crowned Indonesia Open champion, Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi on Friday.
The China world No 45 defeated local independent pair, Tan Kian Meng-Tan Wee Kiong 21-18, 17-21, 21-14 in the final match of the day.
SECOND ROUND RESULTS
(Malaysians unless stated)
Men's singles: Shesar Hiren Rhustavito (Ina) bt Lee Zii Jia 21-19, 19-21, 21-16; Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hkg) 15-21, 21-6, 21-13; H.S. Prannoy (Ind) bt Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) 21-15, 21-7; Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) 21-18, 21-17; Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt P. Kashyap (Ind) 21-19, 21-10; Kento Momota (Jpn) bt Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 11-21, 21-8, 21-18.
Women's singles: Line Kjaersfeldt (Den) bt Carolina Marin (Spa) 21-19, 19-21, 21-13; Han Yue (Chn) bt An Se Young (Kor) 21-23, 21-18, 21-16; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Zhang Beiwen (US) 15-21, 21-12, 21-18; Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt Iris Wang 23-21, 21-18; Chen Yu Fei (Chn) bt Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) 21-12, 21-19; P.V. Sindhu (Ind) bt Pitthayaporn Chaiwan (Tha) 19-21, 21-19, 21-14,l; Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) bt Kristin Kuuba (Est) 21-11, 21-9.
Men's doubles: Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi bt Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin (Tpe) 21-17, 21-18; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani w.o. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty (Ind), Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt Terry Hee-Loh Kean Hean (Sin) 21-16, 21-13; Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi (Chn) bt Tan Kian Meng-Tan Wee Kiong 21-18, 17-21, 21-14.
Women's doubles: Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan (Chn) bt Low Yeen Yuan-Valeree Siow 21-12, 21-9; Zhang Shu Xian-Zheng Yu (Chn) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 21-19, 21-15; Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing bt Lee So Hee-Shin Sheung Chan (Kor) 18-21, 21-12, 21-15.
Mixed doubles: Kim Won Ho-Jeong Na Eun (Kor) bt Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 10-21, 21-18, 21-17; Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong (Chn) bt Chen Tang Jie-Valeree Siow 21-16, 21-10.