Two-time world champions Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong of China needed to fend off Thailand’s Ratchapol Makkasasithorn and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat, 21-16, 22-20, to book their place in the second round of the mixed doubles event of the Badminton Asia Championships 2022, Tuesday at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Muntinlupa City.
The 2018 and 2019 Badminton World Federation champions in the said event had to shake off errors that lead to scoring runs from the Thai pair in the opening frame, before stringing three straight points to end the match after 33 long minutes.
Japan’s Watanabe Yuta and Higashino Risa likewise made the next round after dominating Indonesia’s Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Lisa Ayu Kusumawati, 21-5, 21-12.
The top guns are still in the running for mixed doubles as No. 3 pair Wang Yi Lyu and Huang Dong Ping of China and the number 4 duo Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktaviani of Indonesia, are still in their respective sections of the draw.
The second-seeded duo Hoki Takuro and Kobayashi Yugo of Japan protected their section of the draw, despite needing to fend off Chinese Taipei’s Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han, 13-21, 21-17, 21-16, to pace the day’s winners in the men’s doubles event.
India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto also paced their sections of the bracket.
Earlier in the day, the qualifications saw Weng Hong Yang and Lei Lan XI of China, and Dmitriy Panarin of Kazakhstan into the main draw of the men’s singles, while Indonesians Stephanie Widjaja and Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi, and South Korea’s Lee Seo-jin in the women’s singles side.
The tournament is made possible by SMART, MVP Sports Foundation, Li-Ning, Cignal, TV5, One Sports, Robinson’s Land, Premium Megastructure Inc., Philippine Badminton Association, Badminton Asia, the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Sports Commission, and a special thanks to Muntinlupa Mayor Fresnedi and the City of Muntinlupa.
