KUALA LUMPUR – It was an embarrassing start to Malaysia Open Super 1000 as matches were disrupted after the roof at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil began leaking, causing rainwater to enter the courts in the middle of the matches.
The heavy downpour at Axiata Arena disrupted the match between national women’s doubles pair Go Pei Kee and Teoh Mei Xing against China’s Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian on Court 2. Officials were forced to stop the match and clean the court with rags.
The Chinese pair had to play in the rain for nearly three minutes before the officials postponed the game. At the time of the suspension, the Chinese pair was leading 11-10 in the first set against the Malaysian.
The leak at the arena also affected Court 3, where Canadian shuttler Brian Yang was playing against India’s H.S. Prannoy in the men’s singles. However, the situation did not disrupt the pace of Prannoy, who comfortably won the first set 21-12 and was leading 6-3 in the second set when the game was postponed.
Malaysia Corp chief executive Iliyas Jamil is expected has a press conference regarding the issue. – January 7, 2025