KUALA LUMPUR: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani survived a stiff Danish challenge to reach the French Open second round on Tuesday, while rising pair Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King earned a crack at the world's top combination.
Sixth seeds Sze Fei-Izzuddin needed 51 minutes to overcome world No. 24 Christian Faust Kjaer-Rasmus Kjaer 21-17, 19-21, 21-17 in their opening match at Arena Grand Paris.
It was an encouraging start for Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who are making their sixth French Open appearance and reached the quarter-finals last year.
Coming off a last-eight finish at the Denmark Open last week, they will be hoping to maintain their consistency and make another strong run in Paris.
They next face another Danish pair, Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard, who defeated Taiwan's Lee Jhe-Huei-Yang Po-Hsuan 21-18, 30-29.
Victory would put Sze Fei-Izzuddin through to the quarter-finals, where they could face world No. 1 and top seeds Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae of South Korea.
However, the Koreans must first get past another Malaysian pair in Aaron-Roy King, who battled past Americans Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith 21-18, 18-21, 21-12 in 51 minutes.
The newly formed combination made a sensational start by capturing the Arctic Open title on their World Tour debut earlier this month before reaching the Denmark Open second round last week.
They now face their toughest challenge yet against Won Ho-Seung Jae, who comfortably dispatched Japan's Hiroki Okamura-Kyohei Yamashita 21-12, 21-9.
An upset victory for Aaron-Roy King, coupled with another win for Sze Fei-Izzuddin, would set up an all-Malaysian quarter-final.
Meanwhile, K. Letshanaa suffered her second consecutive first-round exit at the French Open after losing 23-21, 21-15 to Thailand's world No. 8 Pornpawee Chochuwong.
The world No. 27 put up a spirited fight in the opening game before the eighth seed prevailed in their first career meeting.
Letshanaa, who made her French Open debut last year, also fell at the first hurdle of last week's Denmark Open.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd