Malaysia’s rising men’s singles shuttler Justin Hoh booked his place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open 2026 after defeating Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen in straight sets in Sydney on Thursday.
The 22-year-old secured a hard-fought 21-17, 21-19 victory in the second-round clash at Olympic Boulevard, needing 55 minutes to overcome his determined opponent.
Justin faced an early challenge in the opening game after falling behind 7-10, but the former Asian Junior champion showed resilience to fight back and level the contest before pulling away to claim the first set 21-17.
The second game proved equally demanding, with both players exchanging points in a closely contested battle that kept spectators on edge.
With the score tied at 18-18, Justin held his nerve during the crucial moments, producing a composed finish to seal the set 21-19 and confirm his place in the last eight.
Awaiting the Malaysian in the quarter-finals is Indonesia’s Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah, setting up another stern test as Justin continues his impressive run in the Super 500 tournament.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s challenge in the mixed doubles event came to an end after all three remaining pairs were knocked out in the second round.
The combinations of Jimmy Wong-Cheng Su Yin, Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing and Loo Bing Kun-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan were all defeated by their respective opponents, ending the nation’s hopes in the discipline.
With the mixed doubles campaign over, attention now turns to Justin as Malaysia’s sole remaining contender looking to make a deep run at the Australian Open.
