Malaysia crushed France in their Sudirman Cup encounter on April 28. They scored their first-ever goal on the international stage to earn an impressive 5-0 victory! This stunning victory, accomplished in front of a home crowd, showcased Malaysia’s badminton prowess. In doing so, it gave the team the best possible chance to advance deep into the tournament’s quarter-finals.
World youth champ Leong Jun Hao opened the tie with a brilliant win over France’s Arnaud Merkle. A very competitive match that went 55 minutes filled with tough scores of 22-20 and 21-19. His victory gave Malaysia the all-important third point, capping what had been a clear-cut team victory in the overall clash.
Jun Hao had taken the lead and Goh Jin Wei then made the advantage double. She gave Malaysia an extended lead by taking down Leonice Huet 21-10, 21-19. Her performance demonstrated skill and resilience, contributing significantly to the team’s momentum.
Mixed doubles Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani opened the campaign in style with a sensational display. They sent Mael Cattoen and Lucas Renoir home decisively, taking the match 21-11, 21-9. Their victory proved to be crucial in setting an early trend, allowing the Malaysian team to claim the lead.
Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah displayed exceptional teamwork and strategy en route to the women’s doubles title. They defeated Margot Lambert and Camille Pognante 21-13, 21-10. Their victory brought Malaysia’s tally to three points, putting them in a better position to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Goh Soon Huat & Shevon Lai Jemie came through big in mixed doubles. They went on to win the final against Gregoire Deschamp and Elsa Jacob 21-7 21-19. Their performances highlighted Malaysia’s strength in depth of talent through all categories.
With this commanding victory over France, Malaysia has set themselves up to play Australia in the semifinal round on April 29. After that game, they will face Japan on May 1 in their last group fixture. The other top two teams out of this round will advance to the quarter-finals. Malaysia’s strong performance to date has placed them in a virtual lock to reach this goal.
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