National men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao’s campaign at the China Masters ended in the opening round today with defeat to Indonesia’s world No 1 player Jonatan Christie.
The 27th-ranked Jun Hao lost 17-21, 19-21 in 44 minutes in the World Tour Super 750 championships at the Sports Centre Gymnasium in Shenzhen, China.
This is his seventh first-round exit in 12 tournaments this year. He has not made it past the last-16 stage in any competition so far in 2026.
In May, Badminton Association of Malaysia performance committee chairman Lee Chong Wei issued Jun Hao a warning regarding several disciplinary issues.
National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen had suggested dropping Jun Hao from the national squad.
However, Chong Wei said he was willing to give the 27-year-old another chance as he believed the player could still change.
Meanwhile, mixed doubles shuttlers Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie advanced to the second round after defeating lower-ranked American pair Chen Zhi Yi-Francesca Corbett 21-14, 21-19 in 30 minutes.
The 11th-ranked Malaysian pair have now beaten the world No 46 American pair in all four encounters so far.
