Leong Jun Hao made an impressive start to his Japan Open campaign by defeating Taiwan's Chi Yu Jen in straight games, ending a frustrating run of defeats against the higher-ranked opponent to book his place in the second round.
The world No. 30 Malaysian overcame world No. 19 Chi 21-19, 21-16 in a confident display at the Super 750 tournament, gaining revenge after suffering two consecutive defeats to the Taiwanese player.
Jun Hao had previously lost a hard-fought three-game contest to Chi at the German Open earlier this year, having also been beaten by the same opponent at last year's Malaysia Masters. This time, however, the Malaysian stayed composed in the key moments and controlled the match to secure a deserved victory.
After edging a closely contested opening game 21-19, Jun Hao carried his momentum into the second, maintaining his attacking intensity while keeping errors to a minimum. He wrapped up the contest 21-16 to complete one of his most significant wins of the season.
The result not only sends Jun Hao into the second round but also gives him a valuable confidence boost after overcoming an opponent who had troubled him in previous meetings.
The victory could prove to be an important step in the 25-year-old's campaign. Before arriving in Japan, Jun Hao had yet to reach a World Tour quarter-final this season, making this breakthrough against a top-20 opponent an encouraging sign as he looks to build momentum in the second half of the year.
With renewed confidence and a place in the last 16 secured, Jun Hao will now look to continue his run and challenge for his best World Tour result of the season.
