ISKANDAR PUTERI (10 FEBRUARY 2022):The 2022 Johor Close Badminton Championship kicked off in style as young shuttlers were eager to put their skills to the test on the opening day of the tournament.
The 10th edition of the tournament which will take place until Sunday will showcase a dazzling array of young talents as players compete for a chance to represent Johor at the national level.
President of the Johor Badminton Association, Mat Rashid Jahlil who was at the venue was satisfied with the reception on the opening day and conveyed his gratitude to all the organisers.
He said, “We are aware of the Covid-19 situation and remain committed in our efforts to see that the tournament meets the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) set by the government.”
He added “Despite some players pulling out at the last minute due to the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, the tournament will go ahead as planned. All those who are competing must take a PCR test to participate and only players and officials are allowed to enter the venue.”
In the Under-16 category underdog Ooi Yi Ping from Albert Sports pulled out all the stops to defeat Yew Jun An in the Boys Singles category.
In a tight opening game, Yi Ping made short work of Jun An and outclassed him 21-18 in a match that kept everyone at the venue on their toes.
However, Jun An was equally impressive in the second game and staged a dramatic comeback, defeating Yi Ping 21-8.
In the rubber set, Yi Ping kept his cool and powered himself into the next stage of the tournament as he defeated Jun An 21-19.
Yi Ping’s coach Albert Lim was delighted with his player’s performance and commended him for giving his best today. He said “Yi Ping has been training hard for the past couple of weeks and I am proud with his performance today.”
He added “I believe that he will continue to give his very best and maintain his momentum in the next stage of the tournament”.
The 2022 Johor Close Championship will comprise of four categories, Under-21 , Under-16, Under-14 and Under-12. The tournament will be held all week from 10th – 13th February at the NS Sport Hall in Gelang Patah.
