World No 26 Leong Jun Hao only made the quarter-finals once this year, with six first-round exits. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: National singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao failed to get past the second round at the China Open, losing to world No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn in straight games today.
However, the Thai player was made to slog for 48 minutes before winning 23-21, 21-7 in the match played at the Olympics Sports Centre Gymnasium in Changzhou.
Kunlavut has now beaten the 26th-ranked Jun Hao in all three encounters with him so far.
He will meet the winner of the match between Taiwan's Chou Tien Chen and HS Prannoy from India in the quarter-finals.
Jun Hao was the lone Malaysian representative in the men’s singles event as Lee Zii Jia had withdrawn due to an injury.
Jun Hao only made the quarter-finals once this year, with six first-round and four last-16 exits
He wins a cash prize of US$6,000 (RM25,300) for making it to the second round.
The China Open is a World Tour Super 1000 event which offers a total cash prize of US$2 million (RM8.4 million).
Related News
19 Mar, 2025
Serevi Considers Politics
24 Apr, 2025
‘He was scared of my face’: Andrew Flint . . .
17 Jun, 2025
Lee Carsley urges England Under-21s to h . . .
06 Jun, 2025
Donald Trump’s travel ban: Why? And why . . .
23 May, 2025
Ex Hearts duo set to miss out on Derek M . . .
15 Jul, 2025
Olympic Cricket Countdown Begins: LA28 G . . .
25 Jun, 2025
Camino to Colorado: 'Full circle moment' . . .
26 May, 2025
Defending All-Ireland champions Kerry pi . . .