KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 – National doubles shuttlers Wan Muhammad Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King missed out on their first world tour title after going down fighting to Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlev Isfahani in the Spain Masters final.
In the Super 300 match at the Gallur Municipal Sports Centre in Madrid, Wan Muhammad Arif-Roy King, ranked world number 65, lost 18-21, 21-17, 19-21 in 52 minutes.
After losing the first game, the Malaysians fought back to win the second and matched their opponents until 19-19 in the decider.
The world number 34 Indonesian pair then clinched two straight points to seal the title and their third straight victory over the Malaysians.
In the men’s singles final, Singapore’s former world champion Loh Kean Yew beat Toma Junior Popov of France 21-11, 15-21, 22-20 while Ratchanok Intanon thrashed Supanida Katethong 21-12, 21-9 in an all-Thailand women’s singles final.
Indonesia’s Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtya Mentari overcame China’s Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi 17-21, 21-12, 21-13 in the mixed doubles final while Japan’s Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi beat Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi 12-21, 21-8, 21-16 in women’s doubles.
