Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong won a close encounter over Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan to progress into the second round of the BANK OF NINGBO Badminton Asia Championships 2025.
The hour-long battle was decided by the tightest of margins as the Koreans edged the No.6 seeds 21-19 28-26 after saving six game points in the second. This was Kim/Kong’s third straight win over the Malaysians and earned them a spot against Zhang Shu Xian/Zheng Yu.
Meanwhile, two-time champions Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan reunited for the first time this season, with the No.5 seeds brushing aside Sri Lanka’s Isuri Attanayake/Sithumi De Silva. The Olympic champions face Malaysia’s Go Pei Kee/Teoh Mei Xing next.
Among the day’s big results were the exit of Lakshya Sen – beaten 21-18 21-10 – by All England finalist Lee Chia Hao, and Swiss Open champion Weng Hong Yang, who fell to fast-rising Indonesian Alwi Farhan.
Ng Tze Yong is making a comeback from injury
Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong, making a comeback from injury after more than a year’s layoff, could not trouble Kunlavut Vitidsarn, with the third seeded Thai winning 21-9 21-12.
Sri Lankan qualifier Viren Nettasinghe gave fourth seed Li Shi Feng something to think about as he stretched the Chinese in two close games, 21-19 21-19. Among the other close matches, defending champion Jonatan Christie was taken the distance by Koki Watanabe, 16-21 21-12 21-18.
In mixed doubles, two in-form pairs will clash in the second round with Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran taking on Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Lai Jemie.
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