KUCHING: Malaysia answered Indonesia’s fightback in the best possible way — by winning every match when it mattered most.
After watching their comfortable advantage evaporate in the second round, the national juniors swept the deciding round 5-0 to defeat Indonesia 2–1 and complete an unbeaten Group D campaign at the Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships in Yatsushiro, Japan, on Saturday.
The victory sends Malaysia into the knockout stage as group champions, while Indonesia also advance as runners-up after pushing the hosts through one of their toughest ties of the tournament.
Malaysia laid the platform from the outset as Damien Ling and Irfan M. Shazmir edged Muhammad Rizki Mubarrok and Raihan Daffa Edsel Pramono 11-10 in the opening men’s doubles relay.
Sarawak’s Genevie Lim then teamed up with Malaysia’s exciting 15-year-old prospect Low Zi Yu to widen the gap, beating Selsi Josika and Aurelia Syakira Putri 22-15 before Carine Tee overcame M. Pratiwi to make it 33-27.
Malaysia looked firmly in control when Ahmad Redzuan and Zi Yu defeated Pramono and Atresia Naufa Candani to extend the lead to 44-36, before Kong Wei Xiang completed the opening round with a 55-51 victory over Radithya Bayu Wardhana.
The second round followed a similar script early on.
Sarawakian Isyaraf Hafizin partnered Redzuan to beat Mubarrok and Pramono 11-9, while Genevie and Zi Yu remained unbeaten with another commanding display, defeating H. Pratiwi and Putri 22-18 to hand Malaysia their biggest cushion of the tie.
Indonesia, however, refused to back down.
Pratiwi edged Carine 33-31 to spark the comeback before Pramono and Candani narrowly overcame Redzuan and Zi Yu 44-42.
The momentum shifted further when Fardhan Rainanda Joe defeated Wei Xiang 55-49, allowing Indonesia to take the second round 3–2 and reduce Malaysia’s advantage to just four points heading into the decider.
With the pressure mounting, Malaysia produced their most complete performance of the day.
Damien and Irfan again set the tone with an 11-9 victory before Genevie and Zi Yu continued their flawless partnership by beating Pratiwi and Putri 22-17.
Carine responded brilliantly to her earlier defeat, edging Pratiwi 33-32 in a tense women’s singles relay, while Redzuan and Zi Yu restored Malaysia’s breathing space with a 44-40 victory over Pramono and Candani.
By the time Wei Xiang stepped onto court for the final relay, Malaysia had regained complete control.
The national shuttler finished the job with a 55-48 win over Fardhan as Malaysia completed a perfect 3–0 sweep in the group stage to secure top spot in Group D.
Malaysia now turn their attention to the quarter-finals, where sterner tests await in their pursuit of the Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships title.
