KUALA LUMPUR: Leong Jun Hao did what the others couldn't do in the past two years at the Singapore Open - beat Indonesia's Anthony Ginting.
The World No. 36 rose to the occasion today to end Anthony's quest for a three-peat in the Super 750 tournament by powering to a 21-14, 10-21, 21-8 win, notching one of the tournament's biggest upsets.
Jun Hao, 24, believes his bold move of opting for aggressive play against Anthony, who is known for his attacking prowess, paid off.
Jun Hao said that beating Anthony for the first time in three meetings marked a breakthrough for him.
"Overall, I feel that I played very aggressively throughout the match. Of course, I'm very happy to have won this game because it represents a breakthrough for me," said Jun Hao.
"This time, I was well-prepared against him. In the past, he was always very strong offensively, and I would end up being overpowered by him.
"Today, however, I felt more positive and proactive overall. It wasn't as easy for him to just keep attacking, so I managed to take more control of the game.
"This is definitely a breakthrough for me. After all, I had played twice before and didn't win. My teammates and other stronger players also find it hard to overcome him."
What was remarkable about Jun Hao's victory is that at one point he was leading 15-2 in the rubber game.
"When things were going smoothly for me, I felt that I needed to seize the opportunity. Since I chose the more advantageous side of the court at the start, I knew I had to play better there. So, I tried to widen the lead as much as possible and keep building on it."
Jun Hao is also excited by the prospect of taking on world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen for the first time in the quarter-finals.
On paper, Axelsen, the Malaysia Masters champion last week, should beat Taiwan's Lin Chun Yi in the last 16 and progress.
"I haven't played against him (Axelsen) before, and he's a very strong opponent. For now, I'll take a rest and then go back to prepare."