NANNING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia won a tough seesaw battle over India 3-2 to continue its 2019 Sudirman Cup journey here on Tuesday.
After losing its Group 1D opener against China on Sunday, the 9th-ranked Malaysia played the do-or-die match against 8th-ranked India, winning the men's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles, and conceding the mixed doubles and women's singles.
Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean, the winners of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, took the women's doubles over 23rd-ranked Ashwini Ponnappa and Reddy N. Sikki 21-11, 21-19, sealing the eventual victory for Malaysia after a 2-2 tie.
In the opening mixed doubles, Indian shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ponnappa shocked the 6th-ranked Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie from Malaysia 16-21, 21-17 and 24-22 after 70 minutes. Ponnappa, who played both women's doubles and mixed doubles, believes that "patience and focus" are what really matter on the court.
"We changed our services a little bit from the 2nd game (in mixed doubles)," said Ponnappa.
For the men's singles, where India did not play its 8th-ranked Srikanth Kidambi, Malaysia took the chance to tie the score 1-1 easily through Lee Zii Jia, the winner of 2018 Chinese Taipei Open, downing the 15th-ranked Sameer Verma 21-13, 21-15.
India then regained its lead at 2-1 when Pursarla V. Sinhdu, the winner of World Tour Finals 2018, beat 2018 World Junior Championship gold medalist Goh Jin Wei 21-12, 21-8 in the women's singles.
In the men's doubles, Aaron Chia and Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia, the runners-up at All England Open, beat world No. 22 Attri Manu and Reddy B. Sumeeth 22-20, 21-19 to tie the score again at 2-2.
On Wednesday, India will meet China to decide the top two sides entering the quarterfinals from Group 1D.
"To play against China, we have to go and give our all, because I think it's the only chance left for us," said women's doubles player Sikki.
