THE BA of Malaysia (BAM) are worried about their shuttlers who are competing in the ongoing Hong Kong Open following anti-government protests on the island.
BAM secretary-general Kenny Goh said so far everything is under control as the Badminton World Federation (BWF) have taken strict security measures to ensure the safety of players and officials involved in the popular World Tour event in Kowloon.
“We have checked with the organisers and BWF who have come up with the list of precautions to ensure safety of the players and officials. Transportation is provided for them to travel from the official hotel to the venue (Coliseum). Players and officials are accompanied by guards should they need to go for meals outside the hotel. Our team have their meals at the mall next to the hotel and security is provided.
“Security, according to BWF, is tight and the event is safe,” said Kenny yesterday.
The tense situation, however, did not affect men’s doubles Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi as they upset World No 5 Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia 21-19, 21-14 in 40 minutes to storm into the men’s doubles quarter-finals. The World No 20 Malaysians face South Korea’s Choi Sol Gyu-Seo Seung Jae, who beat Taiwan’s Lee Jhe Huei-Yang Po Suan 24-22, 21-18, today.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were also in fine form when they secured an easy 21-15, 21-13 win over Denmark’s Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the second round. They take on China’s third seeds Li Jun Hui-Liu Yu Chen, who received a walkover from Japan Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, today.
In the mixed doubles, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai defeated Japan’s Kohei Gondo-Ayane Kurihara 21-14, 21-8 to set up a quarter-final clash against Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in the last eight.
However, sixth seeds Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying fell in their second round 22-20, 21-15 defeat to local pair Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet in 49 minutes.
Men’s singles Liew Daren failed to reach the last eight, losing 21-14, 21-16 to former world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in his second-round match.