Uber Cup Malaysian Girls Go Down Fighting To Host Denmark

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Eoon Qi Xuan stunned Line Christophersen, who is ranked 100 places higher in the world, to get Malaysia’s only point. (Facebook pic/BAM)AARHUS (Denmark): Despite giving a tough fight, a young and valiant Malaysian side went down 4-1 to host team Denmark in the Uber Cup Group D match at the Ceres Arena yesterday.
First singles S Kisona had a firing start by taking a 7-2 lead against world No 12 Mia Blichfeldt but the 24-year-old bounced back to level the score 8-8 and eventually confirm a 21-11 win.
Having warmed-up and found her rhythm, Blichfeldt went on to secure a 21-7 win against the world No 53 to give Denmark their first point before some 2,000 home fans.
Scratch pair Lee Meng Yean-M Thinaah gave world No 16 Maiken Fruergaard-Sara Thygesen a run for their money, before narrowly losing the first game 21-19. However, their strong determination saw them defeating the home tandem 21-10 in the second.

But the three-time European champions stamped their superiority to clinch the rubber 21-13 to end the 70-minute battle.
Meng Yean, 27, the captain and most senior member of the team, paired with Thinaah after the latter’s partner Pearly Tan was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Eoon Qi Xuan, the 2017 Asian Junior Championship silver medallist, put Malaysia back on track after stunning Line Christophersen, who is ranked 100 places higher in the world, in an exciting match lasting an hour.
Despite being ranked 123rd, Qi Xuan showed no fear to bounce back from a 21-18 defeat in the first game to vanquish the world No 23 21-18, 21-15 to narrow the main score to 2-1.
The hosts however, clinched the winning point when their second pair of Amalie Magelund-Freja Ravn subdued Teoh Mei Xing-Yap Ling 21-13, 21-19 to give Denmark an unassailable 3-1 lead.
In the last match, K Letshanaa, 18, showed great fighting spirit against world No 35 Line Kjaersfeldt before losing 21-18, 21-14.
The Malaysian girls face another uphill task against China today (7.30pm Malaysian time) before completing the group fixtures against Canada on Tuesday (1am). - FMT

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