Promising Faiq-Hong Quan proving to be an able pair to support No. 1 in worlds

PETALING JAYA: The emergence of shuttlers Mohd Faiq Masawi-Lok Hong Quan have strengthened Malaysia’s options in the boys’ doubles in the World Junior Championships.

While Asian Junior Championships silver medallists Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing remain Malaysia’s best bet to end the six-year title drought in the world junior meet, they will be ably supported by Faiq-Hong Quan this time.

Faiq-Hong Quan are coming into the tournament in good form after capturing the Malaysian Junior International and Malaysia Games (Sukma) gold in August.

National junior head coach Jeffer Rosobin hopes the pair can continue their fine form in the world junior meet and reduce the burden on Aaron-Khai Xing.

“In the Asian Juniors, we were relying a lot on Aaron-Khai Xing. This time we also have Faiq-Hong Quan,” said Jeffer.

“Faiq-Hong Quan have been performing well and we hope they can bring their good form to the World Juniors and support Aaron-Khai Xing.

“We named both pairs in the Dutch Junior International in March and Faiq-Hong Quan finished as semi-finalists while Aaron-Khai Xing went on to win the title.

“We are hoping for a similar outcome in the World Juniors.”

Faiq will also play in the singles and along with Hong Quan, Aaron and Khai Xing will all be competing in their last World Junior meet.

Malaysia last won gold in the tournament in 2018 through Goh Jin Wei in the girls’ singles while the last boys’ doubles pair to win the title for the country were Teo Ee Yi-Nelson Heg in 2011.

The individual event in the World Juniors this time will be held from Oct 7-13 in Nanchang, China.

Meanwhile, Malaysia got off to a good start in the mixed team event when they defeated Mongolia 110-48 and Norway 110-51 in Group C yesterday.

A new scoring format where each match will be played only until 11 points was introduced in this tournament for the first time and will be used only in the mixed team event.

Each tie have 10 matches with the first match ending after 11 points and the first team to reach 110 points will win the tie.

The 10 matches are two men’s singles, two women’s singles, two men’s doubles, two women’s doubles and two mixed doubles.

Aaron-Khai Xing and Faiq-Hong Quan easily won all their matches yesterday.

Jeffer was pleased with the start made by his charges and believes that the easier group matches will give the players time to adapt to the new format.

“It was a good performance from the players especially when they are still adapting to the new scoring format,” said Jeffer.

“The easier group stage is a good opportunity for the players to adapt well before the tougher knockout rounds.

Malaysia will next play Estonia today before wrapping up the group stage against Holland tomorrow.

Only the group winners will make it to the quarter-final.

RESULTS

Group A: South Korea bt Hong Kong 110-96; China bt Hong Kong 110-59.

Group B: France bt Armenia 110-47; Taiwan bt Slovakia 110-56; France bt Slovakia 110-49.

Group C: Malaysia beat Mongolia 110-48 (Ong Xin Yee bt Tselmeg-Od Enkhlen 11-3; Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting bt Arvinbuyn Bayasgalan-Bolorkhuyang Sarangoo 22-6; Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing bt Nyamaa Dorjijav- Khurts Erdene 33-11; Datu Anif Isaac-Dania Sofea bt Naranbayar Chinzorig-Darkhanbat Nandin 44-17; Sng Wei Ming bt Naranbayar Chinzorig 55-23; Oo Shan Zi bt Darkhanbat Nandin 66-27; Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan-Carmen Ting bt Tselmeg-Od Enkhlen-Darkhanbat Nandin 77-30; Mohd Faiq Masawi-Lok Hong Quan bt Batsaikhan Temuun-Ochirbat Tuvshin 88-36; Datu Anif Isaac-Noraqilah Maisarah bt Ochirbat Tuvshin- Tselmeg-Od Enkhlen 99-44; Kong Zhou Swin bt Ochirbat Tuvshin 110-48); Malaysia beat Norway 110-51 (Ong Xin Yee bt Selma Bjornestol 11-4; Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing bt Brynjar Hus-Jakob Risa 22-10; Datu Anif Isaac-Nuraqilah Maisarah Ramdan bt Aleksander Jakovlevs-Mina Korssund 33-18; Dania Sofea-Carmen Ting bt Linnea Holmedal-Mina Korssund 44-19; Mohd Faiq Masawi bt Mathias Wong 55-26; Oo Shan Zi bt Linnea Holmedal 66-33; Mohd Faiq Masawi-Lok Hong Quan bt Brynjar Hus-Jakob Risa 77-34; Kang Khai Xing-Dania Sofea bt Mathias Wong-Selma Bjornestol 88-38; Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting bt Linnea Holmedal-Mina Korssund 99-41; Sng Wei Ming bt Jakob Risa 110-51); Estonia bt Mongolia 110-50; Holland bt Norway 110-95.

Group D: Denmark bt Trinidad and Tobago 110-45; New Zealand bt Cook Islands 110-53; United Arab Emirates bt Trinidad and Tobago 110-47.