Top seed Eogene Ewe Eon made it all too easy in the Men’s Singles opener of the Petronas National Under-18 Championship 2023 when he strolled past his first round opponent in straight set here in Kedah.
The Perak-born lad did not even have to break a sweat in his duel against Vincent Ma Kai Yik from Putrajaya as he walked off 21-12, 21-6 in just half an hour.
Eogene from the stable of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will next take on Thiagaraja Naddar Shahen in the second round tomorrow.
Selangor’s Thiagaraja made the next round after beating Negeri Sembilan’s Chan Yen Siang 21-11, 21-10 in just 26 minutes.
Another BAM representative Faiq Muhammad showed that he is worthy of his second seed when he outplayed Yusuf Daneel Luqman Hakim from Selangor 21-14, 21-7.
Faiq will next play Murali Desan Sarvesh Adittya from Kuala Lumpur who dashed the hopes of hometown boy Pang Khai Zhe 21-13, 21-13.
Third seed Jan Jireh Lee Zhi Ming from BAM also made the cut to the next round after his opponent Nicholas Tan Kian Hong from Negeri Sembilan had to retire midway through the second set.
After taking the first set 21-14, Jan Jireh was leading 14-8 before Nicholas made the decision to retire.
Jan Jireh will next play Kedah’s Bolherry Tor Bin Tor Buck Huat, who beat Pahang’s Sean Oeij Tze Xian 21-6, 21-15 in his first round encounter.
It took fourth seed Lok Hong Quan just 22 minutes to book his spot in the second round when he overcame the challenge of M. Shakif Farhan Zairi from Perlis 21-5, 21-5.
Hong Quan’s opponent tomorrow will be Selangor’s Au Wei Shan, who beat Tae Ern Ong from Kuala Lumpur 21-13, 21-16.
