PETALING JAYA: Back-up shuttlers Tan Chun Seang and Chan Kwong Beng failed to clear the qualifying round of the Japan Open badminton championships in Tokyo on Tuesday. Chun Seang, expected to feature as the second ranked singles player for Malaysia in the Korat SEA Games in Thailand in December, was beaten 20-22, 18-21 by Japan's former Asian junior champion Kenichi Tago in the second round of the qualifiers.
Chun Seang, who is the top junior player from the 2010-2012 Project squad under Rashid Sidek, had beaten another Japanese Koichi Saeki 21-9, 21-16 in the opening match of the qualifying round earlier.
Kwong Beng, another SEA Games hopeful, went down 11-21, 21-14, 19-21 to South Korea's Lee Cheol-ho in the opening match of the qualifiers.
Pei Wei Chung also failed to make it to the main draw, losing his opening match 21-15, 14-21, 13-21 to Taiwan's Liao Sheng-shiun. Chun Seang and Kwong Beng still have a chance to make amends and convince the coaches they are worthy of places in the SEA Games when they compete in the Taiwan Open next week.
