KUALA LUMPUR: After their quarter-final exit at the Korea Open last week, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai have fought tooth and nail to be comeback from dropping a set to collect a tough 21-14, 19-21, 21-19 victory over Mathias Christiansen/Sara Thygesen of Denmark in the Japan Open first round at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Tuesday.
Goh/Lai will take on winner of Wednesday’s first round match between Japan’s Takuro Hoki/Sayaka Hirota and Kohei Gondo/Wakana Nagahara on Thursday.
Last week’s Korea Open mixed doubles semi-finalists Chan Peng Soon/Cheah Yee See put up a spirited fight before going down to Word No. 2 Lu Kai/Huang Yaqiong’s strong firepower, losing 21-17, 21-17 in 45 minutes.
“The Chinese pair was just too strong and too fast,” said Cheah.
“The gap between me and the World’s top pair is huge. I’ll have to work harder in order to reach that level,” added Cheah.
Malaysia’s another mixed doubles pair and No. 7 seeds Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing continue to struggle with forms, losing a close fight to Thailand’s Bodin Isara-Savitree Amitrapai in straight sets 22-20, 23-21.
The biggest upset of the day came when Huang Yaqiong/Yu Xiaohan who just won the women’s doubles title at Korea Open 3 days ago, stunned by Korean pair Kim Ha Na/Kong Hee Yong in the second qualifying match, losing 21-13, 19-21, 16-21 in 72 minutes.
