Kunshan: Malaysia Thomas Cup team has marched into the quarter-finals of Thomas Cup Finals after Lee Chong Wei, Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong, and Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin delivered the first 3 points in the best of five format on Monday.
World No. 2 Lee Chong Wei battled through an unexpectedly tough first men’s singles match when he needed 40 minutes to beat unheralded Kai Schaefer 21-19, 21-15 on day two in Kunshan, China.
Men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong was able to give a stable performance when they put Malaysia ahead with 2-0 after trashing Richard Domke-Fabian Holzer 21-12, 21-11.
Although it was his Thomas Cup debut, Malaysia’s national men’s singles champion Iskandar Zulkarnain sealed the tie with a victory against Lars Schaenzler with a 21-7, 21-16 win in 32 minutes.
Former World No. 1 men’s doubles pair Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong did not let Sunday’s defeat to overshadow their second Thomas Cup match. The pair ruthlessly destroyed Mark Lamsfuss-Josche Zurwonne 21-15, 21-10 in just 31 minutes.
Chong Wei Feng, then played a wonderful match as the men’s third singles when he outgunned David Peng 21-9, 21-18.
Malaysia will play their toughest Group C tie against South Korea on Tuesday to decide which team will be the champions and runners-up for the group.
Meanwhile, playing in the second Thomas Cup tie, the Koreans showed they are strong contender for the 2016 Thomas Cup title by knocking off England 5-0.
