The biggest disappointment was when Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were ousted 15-21, 21-9, 18-21 by Denmark’s world No 26 Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard in 50 minutes.

Despite the unwavering home crowd support, the Malaysians – who were expected to do well at home after making it to the final of the BWF World Tour Finals (WTF) in China last month – did not rise to the occasion.

Earlier, Malaysia’s only men’s singles player, Leong Jun Hao, lost to China’s Lu Guang Zu 17-21, 21-16, 13-21.

The Malaysian world No 29 went down to the world No 16 in 80 minutes, much to the disappointment of the home crowd.

He was the country’s only hope in the men’s singles after world No 6 Lee Zii Jia withdrew from the event as he has not fully recovered from an ankle injury he suffered at the WTF last month.

In today’s other action, national mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin bowed out to Taiwan’s world No 51 Lu Ming Che-Hung En Tzu.

The world No 20 pair fought hard before going down 26-28, 21-14, 22-24. It was their first defeat to the Taiwanese pair after beating them in the first round of the Macau Open last year.

There was more bad news as mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, ranked No 19 in the world, also crashed out in the first round after losing to Japan’s world No 14 Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito.

Kian Meng-Pei Jing went down 20-22, 10-21 in just 32 minutes.

Another Malaysian mixed doubles pair, world No 33 Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien, were also knocked out easily by Indonesia’s world No 8 Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuel Widjaja 12-21, 13-21.

Among the other Malaysians playing later today are women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, WTF mixed doubles finalists Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, men’s doubles pairs Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man We Ching-Tee Kai Wun.