PETALING JAYA: National mixed doubles duo Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing recorded a surprisingly easy victory over a higher-ranked home pair to enter the last 16 of the Indonesia Open today.
World No 28 pair Pang Ron-Pei Jing took only 31 minutes to defeat the 25th-ranked Marwan Faza-Aisyah Salsabila Putri Pranata 21-17, 21-9 despite the vociferous home crowd rooting for the Indonesian pair at Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
This was their first encounter with the Indonesians.
Pang Ron-Pei Jing, who started their partnership a year ago, can expect a tough second round tomorrow where they will face Thailand’s world No 3 pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran.
The Malaysians will also be meeting their Thai rivals for the first time.
The Indonesia Open is a World Tour Super 1000 championship which offers total prize money of US$1.45 million.
On opening day yesterday, men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani booked their second-round slot after a straight-game victory over Singaporean pair Wesley Koh-Junsuke Kubo.
Also through to the last 16 was singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao, who broke his first-round jinx by defeating Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in two games.
