KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia failed to make the World Junior Championships Mixed Team quarter-finals for the second edition running after going down 4-1 to top seeds Indonesia in Santander, Spain today.
Singles ace Justin Hoh got the 12th-seeded Malaysia off to a dream start by beating Alwi Farhan 21-18, 21-18, but Indonesia, the defending champions, stormed back to claim the next four points to finish as Group A champions.
Malaysia were counting on Siti Nurshuhaini Azman to double the advantage, but she was outlasted by Ester Nurumi Wardoyo 21-18, 22-24, 21-14 in a pulsating battle.
Malaysia's gamble on second-ranked boys' doubles pair Choi Jian Sheng-Bryan Jeremy Goonting failed to pay off as they were outclassed 21-8, 21-10 by Muh Putra Erwiansyah-Rayhan Nur Fadillah in just 23 minutes.
Trailing 2-1, Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting did their best in the girls' doubles match but still could not prevent Indonesia from claiming an unassailable lead through Meilysa Puspita Sari-Rachel Allessy Rose, who stamped their class to win 21-15, 21-19
Rafi Ramanda-Azahra Putri Dania then completed the stylish win with a 21-15, 21-13 win over Wong Vin Sean-Lai Ting Cen in the dead rubber mixed doubles battle.
As the group runners-up, Malaysia will now be competing in the 9th-16th classification playoffs. They will face India, the Group B runners-up, on Thursday.
Malaysia will aim to at least equal the ninth place finish secured in Kazan three years ago.