Malaysia Secures Spot In Thomas Cup Quarter-Finals

Malaysia Secures Spot In Thomas Cup Quarter-Finals - Malaysia has secured a spot in the Thomas Cup quarter-finals.

On Monday (May 21), Malaysia got off to a brilliant start in the Finals when Malaysia whipped Russia 5-0 in the opening Group D tie at the Impact Arena.

Only the top two teams advance to quarter-finals.

Malaysia will play Algeria on Tuesday and will take defending champions Denmark on Wednesday to determine the group winners.

Denmark defeated Algeria in a convincing 5-0 win in another Group D tie on Monday.

Skipper Lee Chong Wei started the ball rolling for Malaysia by beating Vladimir Malkov 21-9, 21-6.

Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong then upstaged world No 10 Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov with a 21-18, 21-19 win.

Youngster Lee Zii Jia starred in his first Thomas Cup appearance by keeping his cool to win against Sergey Sirant 21-13, 21-16.

Scratch pair Aaron Chia-Teo Ee Yi also justified the coaches’ selection when the duo, playing for the first time in the Finals, blew away Evgenij Dremin-Denis Grachev 21-16, 21-9 to give Malaysia a comfortable 4-0 lead.

Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin sealed the tie with a 21-9, 21-12 win over Rodion Alimov.

Group D: Malaysia bt Russia 5-0 (Lee Chong Wei bt Vladimir Malkov 21-9, 21-6; Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong bt Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov 21-18, 21-19; Lee Zii Jia bt Sergey Sirant 21-13, 21-16; Aaron Chia-Teo Ee Yi bt Evgenij Dremin-Denis Grachev 21-16, 21-9; Iskandar Zulkarnain bt Rodion Alimov 21-9, 21-12).