KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Open proved disappointing for Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin, as the world No. 20 pair suffered an unexpected first-round exit.
Fresh off their career-best runners-up finish at the China Masters in November, the Malaysians lost to world No. 51 Lu Ming Che-Hung En Tzu in a dramatic 28-26, 14-21, 24-22 match.
Despite holding an 18-12 lead in the opening game, they faltered as the Taiwanese duo mounted a remarkable comeback, saving two match points to secure the win.
"I'm not happy with my performance today," said a dejected Pang Ron. "We lost focus after letting them back in, and our confidence dropped."
Su Yin, in her second Super 1000 appearance, admitted, "There's still some nervousness, but I'm working to overcome it. Our opponents played well, but we didn't meet expectations."
The loss dashed hopes of an all-Malaysian second-round clash against world No. 5 Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.
Looking ahead, the pair will aim to bounce back at next week's India Open, hoping to recapture the form that saw them reach the semi-finals at the Orleans Masters and Macau Open, along with their impressive runners-up finish at the China Masters.
In other mixed doubles action, Malaysian duo Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien lost 21-12, 21-13 to Indonesia's fifth seeds Dejan Fernandisyah-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja.