World No 6 pair Soon Huat-Shevon appeared to be struggling to find their rhythm over the American pair of Presley Smith-Jennie Gai but they managed to overcome their opponents 21-15, 21-19 in 36 minutes.
However, Malaysian fans’ joy at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil was short-lived as women’s singles player Goh Jin Wei and men’s doubles pair Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi were eliminated in their opening round matches after that.
Malaysia’s world No 23 men’s doubles pair Roy King-Wan Arif went down tamely to South Korea’s Kim Won Hi-Seo Seung Jae, who are partnering for the first time.
The Malaysian pair, who made heads turn at the Malaysian Masters last year with their giant-killing feats, lost 17-21, 11-21 in 33 minutes.
Jin Wei, who is Malaysia’s sole representative in the women’s singles, lost 15-21,16-21 to India’s world No 31 Malvika Bansod in another first-round match in 45 minutes.
Yesterday’s first-round casualties included world No 3 men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, women’s doubles world No 6 duo Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, and Malaysia’s sole men’s singles hope, Leong Jun Hao.
Despite today’s victory, Shevon said she and Soon Huat were not satisfied with their performance due to the numerous unforced errors.
Soon Huat, meanwhile, hopes to stay focussed in a bid to see off either S Karunakaran-A Variyath or A Surya-A Pramutesh – from India – in the second round tomorrow.
“We have to prepare well and stay focussed. We target to at least reach the quarter-final,” he said in a Bernama report.
Men’s doubles pairs Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi will see action in the first round match later today.
The other Malaysians who will take to the court today are men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and women’s doubles pair Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien.
In the men’s singles, Indonesia’s world No 3 Jonatan Christie became the second major casualty of the tournament after losing 21-8, 14-21, 26-24 to France’s world No 19 Toma Junior Popov today.
Yesterday, two-time Olympic champion and world No 4 Viktor Axelsen was knocked out in the first round after losing 21-17, 21-13 to Hong Kong’s world No 21 Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Axelsen won the Malaysia Open in 2022 and 2023.