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Malaysia start well

MALAYSIAN players didwell to win their respective qualifying group matches on the opening day of the World Individual Table Tennis Championships in Yokohama, Japan yesterday.

Shakirin Ibrahim, the national No 1 player, defeated Nepal’s Purshottam Bajracharga 11-13, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-3 in his opening Group 65 match. He plays Portugal’s Silva Andre to decide the group winner today.

Teammates Chai Kian Beng and Kho Mao Sheng also won their respective Group 16 and Group 23 opening matches with ease.

Kian Beng, the World No 767, thrashed Armenia’s Garegin Mkrtchyan 11-6, 11-3, 11-3, 11-2 while Mao Sheng beat Moldova’s Veniamin Dubrovin 11-6, 11-7, 12- 10, 11-5.

In the women’s section, Ng Sock Khim, the World No 203, packed off Kos Island’s Besire Domaniku 11-3, 11-5, 11-2, 11-8 in her Group One match.

Compatriot Chiu Soo Jinn hammered Iran’s Sahar Rahnemaihaghighi 11-3, 11-2, 11-5, 11-8 in Group 18.


The Malaysians will need to win their final group matches today in order to advance to the next stage.

NEW STRAITS TIMES

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