Sarawakian shuttler Ling Ching falls to India’s Sindhu after 1-hour battle at BAC

KUCHING (April 9): Singles player Wong Ling Ching can hold her head high despite failing to clear the first round of the Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) in Ningbo, China on Wednesday.

Ling Ching, the only Sarawakian in the national squad, raised hopes in the Malaysian camp when she won the first set 21-15.

But India’s Pusarla Sindhu is no ordinary opponent. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist and 2019 world champion bounced back with her experience to win the next two sets 21-11, 21-19 in the match which lasted 67 minutes.

However, K. Letshanaa salvaged some pride for Malaysia by beating India’s teen sensation Tanvi Sharma 21-19, 21-14 to advance to the second round. Tanvi is ranked three spots above Letshanaa’s No.37 in world rankings.

It was not a good day for Malaysia in the men’s singles. The two national players lost to Indonesians. Leong Jun Hao went down tamely 13-21, 8-21 to Jonathan Christie while Justin Ho did offer fierce resistance before falling in three sets 19-21, 21-14, 15-21 to Alwi Farhan.

Meanwhile, the top stars in the Malaysian contingent cruised to the second round with relative ease. World no.2 men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik beat Taiwan’s Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi Lin 21-15, 21-15.

World no.2 women’s doubles duo of Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah were also barely tested with an easy 21-14, 21-11 win over Hong Kong’s Fan Ka Yan and Yau Mau Ying.

Earlier, world No.4 mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei advanced after putting down Japan’s Haruki Kwabe and Kokona Ishikawa 21-10, 21-19.