INDEPENDENT mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie gave Malaysian fans something to cheer about by advancing to the second round of the Malaysia Open, following a strong 21-15, 21-19 victory over American duo Presley Smith and Jennie Gai.
Their win comes as a much-needed morale boost after a disappointing opening day, which saw the early exits of top Malaysian pairs, including world No. 3 Nur Izzuddin Rumsani-Goh Sze Fei and world No. 6 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah.
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According to New Straits Times, Lai admitted she struggled to find her rhythm.
“It’s an honour to deliver Malaysia’s first win today.
“It wasn’t a perfect game, but fortunately, Soon Huat stayed composed,” she was quoted as saying.
Acknowledging the challenge of back-to-back tournaments, Lai noted the packed schedule has affected players’ ability to hit peak form.
Several big names, including Denmark’s two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, also crashed out early.
The pair, who are also husband and wife, had limited time to prepare after competing in the World Tour Finals just weeks ago.
“It’s a challenge,” she said. “As senior players, we need more time to regain momentum, especially against younger opponents.”
She vowed to cut down on unforced errors in their upcoming matches.
Goh highlighted the advantage of starting the season at home.
“It’s beneficial that the Malaysia Open is held early. We Malaysian players can prepare in the comfort of being at home, unlike others who need to travel,” he said.
The fourth seeds now look ahead to their second-round match against either India’s S. Karunakaran-A. Variyath or A. Surya-A. Pramutesh.
Despite the pressure of performing on home soil, Lai remains optimistic. “With it being the Malaysia Open, we feel the pressure to perform for the home fans, but we must find the best way to regain our form.”
