MALAYSIA MASTERS 2025: OLYMPIC CHAMPION TOPPLED BY PEI KEE-MEI XING AGAIN

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- The national women's doubles pair, Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing once again stole the spotlight when they recorded a stylish victory over 2024 Paris Olympic champion, Chen Qing Chen who teamed up with Wang Ting Ge of China to advance to the second round of the Malaysia Masters 2025 at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, today.

The first round today saw Pei Kee-Mei Xing, currently ranked 24th in the world, display an energetic performance to defeat the Chinese pair 21-19, 21-19 in 53 minutes, their second victory over the same pair after the 2025 German Open in February.

“This time, we have higher expectations. At the beginning of the match, we started well, but then we started making some mistakes and feeling nervous. However, today, we managed to overcome all that.

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“We were a bit nervous too because she (Qing Chen) is still an Olympic champion and very experienced but we really appreciate the opportunity to play against them,” Mei Xing told reporters here today.

Asked about the match against the seventh seeds of the tournament, Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian of China in the second round following their victory over national representatives Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting (21-11, 17-21, 21-13), Mei Xing said today’s victory was the best tonic to face tomorrow’s challenge.

Meanwhile, national men’s doubles, Muhammad Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian defeated eighth seeds Kittinupong Kedren-Decaphol Puavaranukroh of Thailand, 21-15, 21-18 in the first round action, which lasted 40 minutes.

It was their first win after six first-round losses since the China Open in September last year, and it was a boost for Muhammad Haikal, who had previously suffered a thigh muscle injury since last December.

“Of course, I am very happy, but there is still much to improve. The action at home gave us extra motivation. I feel comfortable after returning from injury, but after playing for a long time I start to feel tired because this is my first tournament since returning," he said.

In another action, national men's doubles pair Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong also advanced to the second round after defeating Taiwan's Chiang Chien Wei-Wu Hsuan Yi 21-14, 21-16.

However, luck was not on the side of the national professional men's pair, Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong, when they lost to Liu Kuang Heng-Yang Po Han from Taiwan, 19-21,15-21.

-- BERNAMA