PETALING JAYA: Unheralded Malaysian men’s doubles pair Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai caused a major upset at the All England badminton championships today when they defeated world No 4 Indian duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty in the opening round.
The Malaysians, ranked world No 33, took 42 minutes to beat the Indian pair 23-21, 21-12 at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham. It was their first meeting.
Khai Xing-Aaron will meet the winners of the match between China’s Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi and Taiwan’s He Zhi Wei-Huang Jui Hsuan in the second round tomorrow.
Men’s singles player Leong Jun Hao is the only other Malaysian to have qualified for the second round of the World Tour Super 1000 tournament, which offers total prize money of US$1.45 million.
The other Malaysian men’s doubles pairs in action later are Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King and Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong.
Also competing are women’s doubles pairs Pearly Tan-M Thinaah and Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting, and mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai.
