KUALA LUMPUR: Ahmad Redzuan Zulwaqqarizal-Low Zi Yu could end Malaysia's long mixed doubles title drought at the World Junior Championships in Cairo this week.
Lim Khim Wah-Ng Hui Lin were the last Malaysians to win the mixed doubles title at the World Juniors, achieving the feat in Auckland in 2007.
Redzuan-Zi Yu showed their pedigree in January by ending a 19-year mixed doubles drought at the Asian Junior Championships in Yatsushiro, Japan.
Buoyed by the pair's performance in the World Junior Mixed Team Championship for the Suhandinata Cup, where Malaysia lost 2-1 to China in the final on Saturday, national junior coach Hazwan Jamaluddin remains upbeat.
"We hope that the long wait can end this time. They performed exceptionally well in the mixed team event, and we hope they can maintain that momentum in the individual event," Hazwan said.
China's Zheng Wei Gang-Tan Ke Xuan and Feng Yi Lan-Meng Han are expected to pose the biggest threats to the Malaysians, but Hazwan cautioned that European junior champions Gokay Gol-Nisa Nur Cimen of Turkiye cannot be taken lightly.
"I can see that some of the European players are also very good. So, we need to be focused and take every match seriously," Hazwan said.
Meanwhile, the singles action began today, with all but one Malaysian receiving first-round byes.
In the girls' singles, Saidatul Saadiah Muhammad beat Egypt's Hadia Elgendy 15-8, 15-12 and will take on the Philippines' Shachie Calderon later today.
Carine Tee defeated Ghana's Alana Faith Sullo 15-3, 15-3 in the second round and will face Spain's Sara Del Castillo in the third round tomorrow.
In the boys' singles, fifth seed Kong Wei Xiang defeated New Zealand's Li Wen Xuan 15-6, 15-9 to book a third-round meeting against the Czech Republic's Lukas Thor.
RESULTS
* Malaysia unless stated
First round
Girls' singles: Saidatul Saadiah Muhammad bt Hadia Elgendy (Egy) 15-8, 15-12.
Second round
Boys' singles: Kong Wei Xiang bt Li Wen Xuan (NZ) 15-6, 15-9
Girls' singles: Carine Tee bt Alana Faith Sullo (Gha) 15-3, 15-3
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