Sze Fei-Izzuddin Crash Out After Intense Thailand Open Semi-Final Battle
BANGKOK: Malaysian men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bowed out of the Thailand Open after suffering a hard-fought semi-final defeat against India’s top seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty at Nimibutr Stadium today.
The Malaysian world number nine duo lost 21-19, 20-22, 16-21 in a gruelling 82-minute encounter that saw both pairs exchange momentum throughout the match.
Despite the defeat, the third-seeded Malaysians displayed a strong performance against the world number four Indian combination, pushing them to the limit in one of the tournament’s most competitive matches.
Coach Ameer Amri Zainuddin praised the pair for their fighting spirit and composure during the opening stages of the match.
According to him, the Malaysians managed to stay calm in the first game and capitalised on key points to secure an early advantage.
“The opening game was closely contested and they handled the pressure well. However, we lost momentum in the second game despite having a slight advantage,” he said after the match.
Ameer explained that the Malaysian pair became overly eager to finish the contest in the second set, allowing the Indian duo to regain control and force the match into a deciding game.
The Malaysians started strongly in the deciding set but struggled to contain the relentless attacking style and disciplined defence displayed by the Indian pair as the match progressed.
Goh Sze Fei admitted the pair still needed to improve their consistency, particularly during crucial moments in deciding games.
“We conceded too many early points in the third game and it affected our rhythm as we tried to catch up,” he said.
Despite missing out on the final, the Malaysian duo believe their campaign in Bangkok will provide valuable confidence ahead of the upcoming Malaysia Masters next week.
The pair are now expected to shift focus towards delivering a stronger performance in front of home supporters during the tournament in Malaysia.
-wilayah.com.my
