Koo-Tan go down to South Korean pair in final
News 9:26 AM
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s world No. 1 pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong had to settle for a runners-up spot in the Swiss Open at Basel yesterday.
But it was still good enough to put them back in the good books of national doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky.
Yesterday, the top seeds squandered a seven-point lead in the second game to lose 18-21, 16-21 to South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong.
It was the unseeded Koreans’ first Super Series title.
As for the Malaysians, it was their first disappointment in the final at Basel after having won it in 2007 and 2009.
Outplayed: Malaysia’s Tan Boon Heong (left) returning a shot while Koo Kien Keat looks on during their Swiss Open men’s doubles final against South Korea’s Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong yesterday. Said Rexy: “Koo and Tan muffed up in the second game.
“They had a chance to take the Koreans to a decider but all went wrong for them after taking a 13-6 lead in the second game,” said Rexy in a telephone interview.
“But still, it is a good showing from them here considering that they have lost in the opening round of the All-England.
“At least, they showed better determination to come back here,” he said.
At the All-England last week, they were beaten by eventual champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark in the first round.
The Koreans celebrating after winning the match 21-18, 21-16. — AP Yesterday, the Malaysians got off to nervous start and the pumped-up Koreans took advantage of that to race to an impressive 11-4 lead.
Kien Keat was a let-down at the front as he was often troubled at the net while Boon Heong did his best to cover for his partner’s lack of form yesterday.
Despite a better effort to reduce the gap, the Malaysians failed to stop the Koreans from taking the first game at 21-17.
Kien Keat and Boon Heong came charging into the second game with extra fire their bellies to take an 11-6 lead.
But it was not too long before the Koreans snuffed out the fire in the Malaysian side when they weakened the Malaysian defence with their incredible attacking efforts to close the big gap.
They leveled it at 14-14 and that gave them enough confidence to storm past the hapless Malaysians for their first Swiss Open title.
In the men’s singles, Chen Jin nailed his first title of the year when he defeated compatriot
Chen Long 12-21, 21-15, 21-17 in a one-hour game.
China also reigned supreme in the women’s events when Wang Shixian and Du Jing-Tian Qing emerged as the singles and doubles champions.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 9:26 AM.
Filed under
