KUALA LUMPUR: There's finally a piece of good news for Malaysian badminton as boys' doubles Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing won the Dutch Junior International in Haarlem on Sunday.
It was Malaysia's first badminton title of the year.
Aaron-Khai Xing, who were the top seeds, defeated China's fifth-seeded Hu Ke Yuan-Lin Xiang Yi 21-18, 21-19 to become the first Malaysian pair to win the tournament since Chua Khek Wei-Woon Mun Choon in 2013.
In the semi-finals held on the same day, Aaron-Khai Xing ousted another Chinese pair, Chen Yong Rui-Chen Zhe Han, the fourth seeds, 21-17, 19-21, 21-14.
It's a fine achievement as the Dutch Junior International is considered a marquee youth-level event along with the German Junior, which takes place in Berlin this week.
The other Malaysians who made it to the podium as semi-finalists were Faiq Haziq-Lok Hong Quan in the boys' doubles and Siti Zulaikha Azmi in the women's singles.
Faiq-Hong Quan lost 21-9, 21-17 to Ke Yuan-Xiang Yi, while Zulaikha went down 21-10, 22-20 to eventual champion Xun Wen Jing of China in the semi-finals.
China flexed their muscles by dominating also the boys' singles, girls' doubles and mixed doubles.