KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 — National mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Toh Ee Wei cleared their first hurdle in the Korea Masters badminton championship at Gwangju Yeonju Stadium today.

The eighth seeded Peng Soon-Ee Wei beat independent shuttlers Soong Joo Ven-Goh Jin Wei of Malaysia 21-11, 22-20 in 31 minutes.

Peng Soon-Ee Wei will meet Zheng Siwei-Zhang Shu Xian in the second round on Thursday after the Chinese pair defeated Park Kyung Hoon-Kim Yu Jung of South Korea 21-6, 21-15. 

Joo Ven and Jin Wei, who are professionals under the Kuala Lumpur Racquet Club, were teaming up for the first time.

However, Joo Ven and Jin Wei both won their singles matches.

Joo Ven, the world number 65, beat Singapore’s Jason Teh Jia Heng 21-8, 21-18 in 45 minutes, to earn the right to play South Korea’s Heo Kwang Hee in the men’s singles second round.

Former world junior champion Jin Wei had to slog for 55 minutes before upsetting world number 21 Phittayaporn Chaiwan of Thailand 21-12, 19-21, 21-11.

Jin Wei, who is ranked 128th in the world, will next play China’s Wang Zhi Yi, who beat South Korea’s Sim Yujin 21-18, 21-16. — Bernama