'Ageless' Wee Kiong-Azriyn pull off 'Great Escape' after saving four match points [WATCH]

KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran men's doubles shuttler Tan Wee Kiong and partner Nur Azriyn Ayub turned back the clock in spectacular fashion to down compatriots Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and keep their Malaysia Open dreams alive at the Axiata Arena on Tuesday.

Wee Kiong, who turns 37 in May, and Azriyn, 34, secured a superb come-from-behind 11-21, 24-22, 21-11 win over the world No. 29 in 52 minutes.

The victory looked like a distant dream as the world No. 28 Wee Kiong-Azriyn were trailing 13-5 and later 20-16 in the second game before saving four match points to earn a brilliant win over their fellow independent training mates.

Wee Kiong, competing in his 16th Malaysia Open, said they remained composed despite the deficit.

"We didn't really think about the score although we were trailing," said Wee Kiong.

"We were down 13-5 and then 20-16 but our focus was on how to get back and find our rhythm."

He said that not focusing on the scoreboard helped reduce the pressure.

"For now, we don't want to think too much. We have one day off and must take care of our condition so that by Thursday, we can be in better shape," Wee Kiong added.

Azriyn said he struggled with early nerves before settling into the match.

"In any tournament, that's usually how I feel. But whether I like it or not, I have to get used to it and keep motivating myself," said Azriyn.

They will face South Korea's Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae, who beat China's Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi 21-17, 21-18, in the next round.

In other matches, world No. 5 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun secured their second-round spot by beating Denmark's Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen 21-17, 21-18.

Wei Chong-Kai Wun will next meet Japan's Hiroki Midorikawa-Kyohei Yamashita.

World No. 7 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani also progressed after defeating Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard 21-15, 21-13. They will face England's Ben Lane-Sean Vendy, who eliminated Choong Hon Jian-Haikal Nazri 16-21, 21-16, 21-15.

Selected first round results

(Malaysians unless stated)

Men singles: Laksya Sen (Ind) bt Jason Teh (Sin) 21-16, 15-21, 21-14; Kenta Nishismoto (Jpn) bt Toma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-14, 14-21, 21-5; Lee Cheuk Yiu (HK) bt Christo Popov (Fra) 13-21, 21-19, 23-21; Shi Yu Qi (Chn) bt Rasmus Gemke (Den) 23-21, 21-15; Ayush Shetty (Ind) bt Lee Zii Jia 21-12, 21-17; Chou Tien Chen (Tai) bt Lin Chun Yi (Tai) 21-14, 21-12; Anders Antonsen (Den) bt Loh Kean Yew (Sin) 21-13, 14-21, 21-18.

Doubles: Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) bt Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang (Chn) 18-21, 21-7, 21-17; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard (Den) 21-15, 21-13; Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) 21-17, 21-18; Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) bt Choong Hon Jian-Haikal Nazri 16-21, 21-16, 21-15; Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 11-21, 24-22, 21-11.

Women singles: An Se Young (Kor) bt Michelle Li (Can) 19-21, 21-16, 21-18; Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt Pai Yu Po (Tai) 21-12, 21-14; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Malvika Banod (Ind) 21-11, 21-11; Han Yue (Chn) bt Kim Ga Eun (Kor) 21-16, 21-10; Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) bt Supanida Katethong (Tha) 21-16, 21-18.

Doubles: Rui Hirokami-Sayaka Hobara (Jpn) bt Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting 21-16, 21-11; Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Francesca Corbett-Jennie Gai (US) 21-8, 21-16; Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn-Sukitta Suwachai (Tha) bt Yeung Nga Ting-Yeung Pui Lam (HK) 21-19, 11-21, 21-16.

Mixed doubles: Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (HK) bt 21-10, 21-9 Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing 21-10, 21-9; Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin bt Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje (Den) 20-22, 21-18, 21-17; Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping (Chn) bt Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien 14-2 (rtd); Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu (Ina) 21-12, 21-17.