Malaysia’s junior badminton team lost 2-1 to defending champions China in the mixed-team final of the World Junior Championships in Cairo on 10 October, after recovering from the opening game to force a decider. The Star reported that China won the final game to retain the title, while Malaysia’s wait for a first mixed-team world junior crown since 2011 continued.
The result nevertheless completed Malaysia’s first appearance in the mixed-team final since the 2017 edition. Their route had included a 2-0 semi-final victory over Indonesia, last year’s runners-up, but China proved decisive in the final after Malaysia had shown resilience to level the tie.
China take control before Malaysia respond
The Star reported that China established a substantial advantage in the first game of the final. Saidatul Saadiah Mohd lost 11-5 to Yin Yiqing and Tiew Wei Jie was beaten 22-13 by Luo Jingyu, before Genevie Lim and Low Zi Yu lost the women’s-doubles segment 33-18 to Shi Sichen and Wei Yueyue.
Malaysia were unable to halt the sequence in the remaining first-game matches. Low Zi Yu, partnering Ahmad Redzuan Zulwaqqarizal, lost 44-30 to Feng Yilang and Li Menghan, while Irfan Shazmir and Damien Ling were beaten 55-46 by Tu Yichen and Zheng Weigang. China therefore completed a clean sweep of the opening game.
Malaysia responded in the second game, although the early singles results again went China’s way. Saidatul lost 11-6 to Zhang Yicin and Wei Jie was beaten 22-18 by Hong Tianyue. The Malaysian doubles combinations then changed the direction of the contest.
Genevie and Zi Yu edged Sichen and Yueyue 33-30. Genevie subsequently partnered Irfan to beat Yilang and Menghan 44-36, before Redzuan and Isyraf defeated Yichen and Weigang 55-53. Those three results gave Malaysia the second game and took the final into a deciding game.
The deciding game ends Malaysia’s comeback
China regained command in the decider, according to The Star. Yin beat Saidatul 11-3 and Luo defeated Wei Jie 22-9. Sichen and Yueyue then beat Genevie and Zi Yu 33-26, reversing the Malaysian pair’s second-game victory.
Yilang and Menghan followed with a 44-35 win over Redzuan and Zi Yu, their second victory over that pairing in the tie. Yichen and Weigang completed China’s title defence by beating Irfan and Damien 55-42.
The final’s three-game pattern underlined both Malaysia’s response and the size of the task against the reigning champions. Malaysia moved from a first-game clean sweep against them to three wins in the second game, but China won every segment of the decider. That meant Malaysia could not convert their first final appearance for nine years into the title they had been pursuing.
Semi-final win had secured final place
Malaysia had earned their place in the final by defeating Indonesia 2-0 in the semi-finals. The Star reported that Indonesia took the first boys’ singles match through Fardhan Rainanda’s 11-6 win over Wei Jie, but Malaysia recovered through Genevie and Zi Yu, who beat Atresia Naufa and Aurelia Syakira 22-17.
Indonesia regained the lead when Jolin Angelia edged Carine Tee 33-32, before Zi Yu and Redzuan levelled matters with a 44-43 mixed-doubles win over Moses Andar and Reya Azzahra. Damien and Irfan then beat Faizal Pangetsu and Anju Siahaan 55-49 to secure the first game.
In the second game, Wei Jie beat Fardhan 11-7, while Genevie and Zi Yu overcame Indonesia’s changed pairing of Atresia and Halifia Usni 22-11. Carine then beat Jolin 33-28, and Zi Yu and Redzuan defeated Moses and Reya 44-37 before the final men’s-doubles match.
Malaysia completed the second game when Redzuan and Isyraf beat Faizal and Anju 55-42.
The Star reported that Malaysia were due to move on to the individual competition after the mixed-team event. Their run delivered Malaysia’s first mixed-team final appearance since 2017, although the title wait continued.