SPORTS
BATC 2022: Malaysian women fight back to stun Japan
Malaysia's Siti Nurshuhani Azman in action against Hina Akechi of Japan in a Group Y match in the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) today. - BERNAMA photo
SHAH ALAM: The young national women's team began their Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) campaign in stunning fashion, fighting back from two games down to upset defending champions Japan 3-2 in Group Y here today.
The win, at the Setia City Convention Centre, came courtesy of heroic performances from third singles shuttler Siti Nurshuhaini Azman and the two doubles pairs of Valeree Siow-Pearly Tan and Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing.
National singles ace S. Kisona, ranked 64th in the world, went down 12-21, 16-21 to world number 72 Natsuri Nidaira before Japan raced to a 2-0 lead when world number 181 Riko Gunji crushed 2017 Asian Junior Championship silver medallist Eoon Qi Xuan, 21-17, 21-7.
Malaysia were deflated. Japan were delighted.
But then Siti Nurshuhaini, Valeree-Pearly and Anna-Mei Xing had other ideas.
The win, at the Setia City Convention Centre, came courtesy of heroic performances from third singles shuttler Siti Nurshuhaini Azman and the two doubles pairs of Valeree Siow-Pearly Tan and Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing.
National singles ace S. Kisona, ranked 64th in the world, went down 12-21, 16-21 to world number 72 Natsuri Nidaira before Japan raced to a 2-0 lead when world number 181 Riko Gunji crushed 2017 Asian Junior Championship silver medallist Eoon Qi Xuan, 21-17, 21-7.
Malaysia were deflated. Japan were delighted.
But then Siti Nurshuhaini, Valeree-Pearly and Anna-Mei Xing had other ideas.