National women's team fails to reach BATC 2022 final

SHAH ALAM: The Malaysian women's squad missed the chance to advance to the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) 2022 after losing 0-3 to South Korea in the semi-final, here, today.

Malaysia, seeded second in the tournament, got off to a poor start in the event held at Setia City Convention Centre, as national women's singles ace, S. Kisona lost 16-21 to Sim Yujin in the first set.

Despite enjoying a 10-6 lead in the second set, a series of unforced errors proved costly for Kisona as the world number 49 Korean mounted a comeback by taking the game, 21-17, to deliver the first point for her team.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Kisona, who ranked 64th best in the world, admitted that she was not patient enough and could not hold her nerve especially in the final set against her opponent.

"If I were more patient and reduced the mistakes in the second set, I believe I could have won the game," she said.

In the second match, scratch pair, Valeree Siow-Pearly Tan failed to live up to expectations as they went down 15-21, 14-21, in just 36 minutes, to Baek Ha Na-Seong Seung Yeon, which saw South Korea earned their second point of the day.

Pearly said they were inconsistent and that allowed the world number 14 pair, Ha Na-Seung Yeon, to pounce on them throughout the match.

Knowing Malaysia had to clinch a crucial point after trailing two games, second singles Siti Nurshuhaini Azman, could not stave off the huge pressure as she failed to give a lifeline to the national team.

After losing 11-21 in the first set to Lee Se Yeon, the up-and-coming shuttler deserved a pat on her back as she managed to put up a great fight in the second set by overcoming the Korean 21-15.

However, Siti Nurshuhaini ran out of gas in the decider as Se Yeon whitewashed her 21-13 to send Malaysian home packing while her team rejoiced to the final for the second time since the tournament began in 2016.

Siti Nurshuhaini was gutted for not being able to inspire a late comeback for Malaysia and paid a heavy price as her eagerness to win the tie caused her to lose the set.

"I realised she was making many mistakes in the second set and I was wasted no time to seal it but in rubber set, I sort of lost focus and was in a hurry to kill the shuttle...I was disappointed for failing to deliver the crucial point but I was proud to represent Malaysia in this BATC," she said

South Korea will face Indonesia in the final, scheduled to be held at 10 am tomorrow.

The Indonesian team was given a 'free pass' to the final after their opponent, Japan withdrew from the last four at the eleventh hour.

As for Malaysia, it was still a successful tournament for them as they managed to meet the expectation of reaching the semi-final after they emerged as the Group Y champion and thus qualified automatically to the Uber Cup finals in Bangkok, Thailand, this May.

All eyes will surely be on Malaysia men's team next as they are scheduled to meet South Korea in the last four, to be held at 4 pm later today.

-- BERNAMA