KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 1 boys doubles Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai couldn't live up to their top billing in the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yogyakarta today.
The Malaysian duo lost 21-13, 21-11 to China's Hu Ke Yuan-Lin Xiang Yi in the final at the Among Rogo Sports Hall.
Earlier, Khai Xing-Aaron had played a key role in helping Malaysia win the mixed-team bronze as they won all their matches.
And they started as the favourites in today's final due to their 2-0 head-to-head record over Ke Yuan-Xiang Yi.
Khai Xing-Aaron, both 18, had beaten Ke Yuan-Xiang Yi in the German Junior quarter-finals in March.
But the Chinese pair turned the tables on the Malaysian duo this time. Nonetheless, the Asia Junior silver is still a good result for Khai Xing-Aaron who have won two titles this year.
At the Dutch Junior International in March, they beat Ke Yuan-Xiang Yi in the final. And later in the same month, they won the Thailand International (their first senior title).
The world No. 80 pair also received an invitation to play at the Super 500 Australia Open last month where they were stopped in the quarter-finals by world No 8 and eventual winners He Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu of China.
Malaysia won three bronze and one silver in Yogyakarta. The bronze medals came from the mixed team event, girls' singles (Siti Zulaikha Azmi) and girls' doubles (Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting).