KUALA LUMPUR: Independent mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie shrugged off any rustiness to deliver an early boost for home fans by advancing to the second round of the Malaysia Open.
Following a disastrous opening day on Tuesday, which saw some of the country's best hopes eliminated – including world No. 3 Nur Izzuddin Rumsani-Goh Sze Fei and world No. 6 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah – Soon Huat-Shevon's 21-15, 21-19 win over American pair Presley Smith-Jennie Gai provided the hosts with a much-needed boost.
The pair's victory was a welcome relief for the home crowd, who had been let down by earlier defeats.
Shevon, however, admitted struggling to find her rhythm. "It's an honour to deliver Malaysia's first win today," she said. "It wasn't a perfect game, but fortunately, Soon Huat stayed composed."
Shevon said she wasn't satisfied with her performance and aims to reduce unforced errors ahead of the next match.
She also acknowledged the packed schedule had affected players' ability to peak, with several big names, including Denmark's two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, eliminated on day one.
The husband-and-wife duo had barely three weeks to prepare after competing at the World Tour Finals. "It's a challenge," Shevon said. "As senior players, we need more time to regain momentum, especially against younger opponents."
She added, "With it being the Malaysia Open, we feel the pressure to perform for the home fans, but we must find the best way to regain our form."
Soon Huat highlighted the advantages of having the Malaysia Open as the season opener. "It's beneficial that the Malaysia Open is held early. We Malaysian players can prepare in the comfort of being at home, unlike others who need to travel," he said.
The fourth-seeded Soon Huat-Shevon will face either the Indian pair S. Karunakaran-A. Variyath or A. Surya-A. Pramutesh in their next match.