KUALA LUMPUR: It wasn't the sought-after perfect start for Malaysia's independent mixed doubles Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai and Ong Yew Sin-Goh Liu Ying, who were knocked out in the first round of the German Open on Tuesday.
Having undergone a one-month training stint with former Olympic champion Candra Wijaya in Indonesia, expectations were high for world No 13 Soon Huat-Shevon to deliver, but it was heartbreak in the end as the former national duo went down in three games, 14-21, 21-13, 21-12, to England's world No 48 Callum Hemming-Jessica Pugh.
"We only have ourselves to blame; we did not play well at all.
"We did not have the best of preparations as there were just so many things going on, mentally, physically, prior to this competition, but I don't want to make any excuses for our poor performance today.
"It wasn't a reflection of our training with Candra at all," lamented Shevon, who will travel to Birmingham next for the All England next week.
Hemming-Jessica will face Scotland's Adam Hall-Julie Macpherson in the second round on Thursday.
The Scottish duo had earlier sent Yew Sin-Liu Ying packing after scoring a 21-16, 21-13 win.
For the record, Yew Sin-Liu Ying had only announced their newly formed partnership at the end of January and were playing in their first tournament together.
Like Soon Huat-Shevon, Yew Sin-Liu Ying will also compete in the All England next week.
Soon Huat-Shevon will take on Denmark's Mathias Thyrri-Amalie Magelund in the first round, while Yew Sin-Liu Ying face Hemming-Jessica.