Leong Jun Hao exits Denmark Open in first round

Malaysian men’s singles player Leong Jun Hao suffered a first-round exit at the Denmark Open, losing to Japan’s Koki Watanabe in 40 minutes with a score of 6-21, 19-21. The world No 30 struggled with unforced errors, particularly in the opening game, despite a strong comeback attempt in the second set where he led 17-16.

This defeat marks a difficult season for Leong, who has failed to progress past the second round in his tournaments this year. In the mixed doubles category, Malaysian pair Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing advanced to the second round after defeating higher-ranked Spanish duo Ruben Garcia and Lucia Rodriguez 21-18, 21-16. However, the Malaysian pair Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien were eliminated in the opening round by Taiwan’s Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Chan.