Malaysia’s top singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao failed to advance to the semi-finals despite putting up a gallant fight at the Hong Kong Open.
The world No 23, who had two easier matches before this against lower ranked compatriots, lost 20-22, 21-14, 20-22 to world No 4 Li Shi Feng in the quarter-final lasting 78 minutes at the Hong Kong Coliseum today.
This is Jun Hao’s sixth loss in their seven encounters so far.
It was a real heartbreak for Malaysian badminton fans to see Jun Hao losing the match after fighting so hard; he even had match point in hand in the rubber game, after leading all the way.
In the first round, Jun Hao defeated Lee Zii Jia who was playing just his second tournament since his return to competitive badminton after a five-month layoff due to an ankle injury.
In the last 16 yesterday, he laboured for more than an hour before beating Justin Hoh in three games.
His performance this season leaves Malaysia still searching for a consistent men’s singles contender at world level. It has been a disappointing year for the 25-year-old, who has failed to reach the semi-final stage in all the tournaments he entered this year.
Jun Hao was knocked out in the first round in six of the tournaments.
