INDIA OPEN: JUN HAO STUNS FIFTH SEED SHI FENG IN OPENING ROUND

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- National men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao pulled off a major upset by defeating fifth seed Li Shi Feng of China in the first round of the India Open today.

The world no. 28 Jun Hao came back from a set down to beat Shi Feng 18-21, 21-17, 21-17 in the Super 750 tourney at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

In the second round, Jun Hao will face another Chinese player, Weng Hong Yang, who received a walkover from home shuttler Srikanth Kidambi.

Earlier, Malaysia's professional men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani cruised into the second round by seeing off compatriots Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub in the first round.

The new world number two pair had no trouble winning 21-16, 21-16 in 41 minutes.

Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin are set to face compatriots Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi after the world number 23 pair defeated Germany's Daniel Hess-Marvin Seidel, to determine a quarter-final spot.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's top mixed doubles duo, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, marched to the next round after defeating Taiwan’s Ye Hong Wei-Nicole Gonzales Chan, 21-15, 21-16.

The world number three pair will face either the 2025 Malaysia Open champions, Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran of Thailand, or Ng Tsz Yau-Tang Chun Man from Hong Kong who are set to compete in the first round tomorrow in a bid to reach the quarterfinals.

However, Malaysia's men's doubles duo Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun had to accept an early exit after losing to the home pair, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy 23-21, 19-21, 21-16.

Also suffering the same fate were mixed double pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin, who were outplayed by eighth seeds Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito of Japan, 21-18, 21-15.

-- BERNAMA