PSNS President’s Trophy Day 1: Seeds Fall On Busy Opening Day

It was a packed first day at the PSNS President’s Trophy, with 32 matches taking place at the Royal Seri Menanti Golf and Country Club in Negeri Seminal, Malaysia.

The Challenger 5 level tournament, which features both a men’s and women’s draw, has been domestically restricted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, allowing only those currently based in Malaysia to participate.

Just a single non-Malaysian was involved in the tournament, with Pakistan’s Hamza Imtiaz making it into the second round, before losing out to No.4 seed Wee Ming Hock in straight games in the last 16.

There were some shocks in the opening round, with wildcards Veroon Heng and Harleein Tan both making it through their first match of the competition, before falling to seeding opposition in the second round.

The upsets continued into the last 16 though, with two of the top eight seeds in both draws being knocked out before the quarter final stage. Teoh Liyen, who was not even in the 9/16 bracket coming into the tournament, defeated Chen Yu Ng and No.4 seed Maisara Azlan to reach the last eight of the competition.

She will be joined in the quarter finals by Heng Wai Wong, who downed No.8 seed Nazihah Hanis in a four-game battle in the second round. No.2 seed Ooi Kah Yan had to fight to come through her last 16 encounter with Angie Ooi, after losing the first game on a tie-break 16-14. She also lost the third game t go 2-1 down, but fought back to win 3-2 and set up a clash with Wong.

In the men’s event, Harith Danial caused the biggest upset, as he got the better of No.5 seed Duncan Lee in a five game contest. Danial went behind early but was able to fight back to lead 2-1 in the match. He lost the fourth but regrouped to win the deciding fifth game, and with it, move through to the last eight.

The other upset in the men’s event saw Joachim Chuah get the better of No.7 seed Andrik Lim in a four game battle. Chuah led from the off, but lost the second to see the match drawn level by his opponent. He was able to take the third, before winning the match in the fourth after a 12-10 tie-break, to book his spot in the last eight of the competition.

The quarter finals of the PSNS President’s Trophy will take place on Friday, February 25, with the last eighth players in both draws battling it out for spots in the semi-finals.

Men’s First Round Results: PSNS President’s Trophy
Low Wa Sern (MAS) bt Ishant Shah (MAS) 3-0: 11-0, 11-3, 12-10 (24m)
Amir Amirul (MAS) bt Dhirren Rajarathiram (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 13-11 (40m)
Harith Danial (MAS) bt [WC] Kreethi Pilley (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (25m)
Sunil Kumar Sivanesan (MAS) bt Loshmaan Veerakumar (MAS) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-1 (18m)
Hamza Imtiaz (PAK) bt Isaac George (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (25m)
Joachim Chuah (MAS) bt [WC] Mohd Danysh Islee Madzzuki (MAS) 3-0: 11-1, 11-2, 11-3 (17m)
[WC] Veroon Heng (MAS) bt Muhammad Alif (MAS) 3-0: 11-1, 11-1, 11-3 (9m)
Tay Jun Qian (MAS) bt Kisovarmand (MAS) Perumal (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 13-11, 11-4 (25m)

Men’s Second Round Results: PSNS President’s Trophy
[2] Ong Sai Hung (MAS) bt Low Wa Sern (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-2 12-10 (31m)
[6] Hafiz Zhafri (MAS) bt Amir Amirul (MAS) 3-1: 13-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 (44m)
Harith Danial (MAS) bt [5] Duncan Lee (MAS) 3-2: 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9 (55m)
[3] Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt Sunil Kumar Sivanesan (MAS) 3-1: 10-12, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 (31m)
[4] Wee Ming Hock (MAS) bt Hamza Imtiaz (PAK) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 (26m)
Joachim Chuah (MAS) bt [7] Andrik Lim (MAS) 3-1: 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 12-10 (43m)
[8] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) bt [WC] Veroon Heng (MAS) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 (19m)
[1] Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) bt Tay Jun Qian (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-6 (24m)

Men’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, February 25
[2] Ong Sai Hung (MAS) v [6] Hafiz Zhafri (MAS)
Harith Danial (MAS) v [3] Elvinn Keo (MAS)
[4] Wee Ming Hock (MAS) v Joachim Chuah (MAS)
[8] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) v [1] Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS)

Women’s First Round Results: PSNS President’s Trophy
Choo Yi Jie (MAS) bt [WC] Haneesha Veerakumar (MAS) 3-0: 12-10, 11-8, 11-5 (21m)
Shasmithaa Nityanandan (MAS) bt Goh Zhi Xyan (MAS) 3-1: 13-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5 (33m)
Anrie Goh (MAS) bt Darsyanaa Ravintharan (MAS) 3-0: 11-1, 11-3, 11-8 (22m)
[WC] Harleein Tan (MAS) bt Vinikishenie Kulasegaran (MAS) 3-2: 11-7, 7-1, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9 (38m)
Teoh Liyen (MAS) bt Chen Yu Ng (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 11-1 (32m)
Vharshamithraa Dinesh (MAS) bt Abhitha Shanraj (MAS) 3-1: 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 (27m)
Heng Wai Wong (MAS) bt Durar Camalia (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-1 (15m)
Vitrikashenie Kulasegaran (MAS) bt Angie Ooi (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 (24m)

Women’s Second Round Results: PSNS President’s Trophy
[1] Chan Yiwen (MAS) bt Choo Yi Jie (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-2 (14m)
[5] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS) bt Shasmithaa Nityanandan (MAS) 3-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-4 928m)
[6] Thanusaa Uthrian (MAS) bt Anrie Goh (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (19m)
[3] Yee Xin Yang (MAS) bt [WC] Harleein Tan (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-1 (19m)
Teoh Liyen (MAS) bt [4] Maisara Azlan (MAS) 3-0: 12-10, 11-2, 11-8 (28m)
[7] Yu Jie (MAS) bt Vharshamithraa Dinesh (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 12-10 (17m)
Heng Wai Wong (MAS) bt [8] Nazihah Hanis (MAS) 3-1: 11-7, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 (28m)
[2] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS) bt Angie Ooi (MAS) 3-2: 14-16, 15-13, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9 (49m)

*Women’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, February 25*
[1] Chan Yiwen (MAS) v [5] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS)
[6] Thanusaa Uthrian (MAS) v [3] Yee Xin Yang (MAS)
Teoh Liyen (MAS) v [7] Yu Jie (MAS)
Heng Wai Wong (MAS) v [2] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS)