Malaysia Masters to start minus defending champs, world champs, home shuttlers

On the eve of the Malaysia Masters, a few key last-minute withdrawals were confirmed, including the mixed doubles defending champions, the women’s doubles World Champions, and Malaysia’s only entries in women’s singles.

The last-minute withdrawal of Japan’s Yuta Watanabe from the 2020 Malaysia Masters means that the event will start without two seeded pairs.  Watanabe, winner here last year in mixed doubles with Arisa Higashino (pictured), was drawn as the 3rd seed in that category but also as 6th seed in men’s doubles with Hiroyuki Endo.

Similarly high-profile is the absence of Mayu Matsumoto.  She and Wakana Nagahara, the women’s doubles World Champions, were also seeded 3rd.  Nagahara is still entered in mixed with Takuro Hoki, but Hoki, too, was hit by the withdrawal bug as his men’s doubles partner Yugo Kobayashi has also backed out.  India also lost two pairs with the absence of Ashwini Ponnappa, who was in the main draw in both women’s and mixed doubles.

The last-minute changes leave Japan with just two pairs entered in men’s doubles.  Akira Koga / Taichi Saito were promoted from the qualifying rounds but may get a another break.  Former World Champions Ko Sung Hyun / Shin Baek Cheol are still in the draw but they haven’t finished an international match in months and they have already withdrawn from next week’s Indonesia Masters.

Finally, both Soniia Cheah and Goh Jin Wei are out of the women’s singles event.   According to reports in the local media, Cheah hurt herself in training on the weekend, while Goh, who would have been promoted from the reserve list, was still not deemed match fit for her big comeback after she missed much of the 2019 season.  Two seeded players will be playing against promoted qualifiers in women’s singles, as Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi and Chen Xiaoxin of China also withdrew.

Photo: Badmintonphoto