Hong Kong, September 13, 2024 — The Europe Today: Malaysian mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin have achieved a significant milestone at the Hong Kong Open, reaching the quarter-finals of a World Tour Super 500 event for the first time. The duo, who have struggled to find form in higher-tier competitions since being paired last November, made a strong statement by defeating Taiwan’s Lin Bing-wei and Lin Chih-chun 21-14, 21-15 at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Kowloon yesterday.
Their win follows an impressive upset in the first round, where the world No. 40 pair stunned Singapore’s world No. 15 team of Terry Hee and Jessica Tan. This marks a pivotal moment for Pang Ron and Su Yin, who had previously only advanced past the early rounds once this year, at the Super 300 Orleans Masters, where they reached the semi-finals.
Pang Ron expressed his satisfaction with their performance, highlighting how their improved control and reduction of mistakes contributed to their success. “Su Yin and I controlled the match better today compared to the first round,” Pang Ron said. “We’ve gained a confidence boost from this, and while there’s still much to improve, it’s clear we’re on the right track. Our partnership is getting stronger day by day.”
However, the road ahead remains challenging for the Malaysians, as they face China’s top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping in the quarter-finals today.
Tang Jie and Ee Wei Continue Strong Run
Meanwhile, Korean Open champions Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei also advanced to the quarter-finals. The world No. 9 Malaysian pair won the first game 21-14 and were leading 4-1 in the second against Hong Kong’s Reginald Lee and Ng Tsz Yau before their opponents retired due to injury.
Tang Jie and Ee Wei will next face China’s world No. 49 pair Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui in the quarter-finals. Tang Jie and Ee Wei previously defeated Guo Xinwa and his former partner Li Qian to claim the title at the Korean Open two weeks ago.
Leong Jun Hao Narrowly Misses Quarter-final Berth
In the men’s singles, Leong Jun Hao was unable to capitalise on a promising position, narrowly losing 14-21, 21-15, 22-24 to Hong Kong’s world No. 15 Lee Cheuk Yiu. Leong, ranked 29th in the world, showed resilience by recovering to win the second game after dropping the first, but ultimately let a 12-5 lead slip in the deciding game. He also squandered two match points at 20-19 and 21-20.
Despite the disappointment, Leong’s performance highlights his potential as he continues to compete against top-ranked players.
