Peng Soon-Liu Ying out to bag a big scalp

ONE mixed doubles pair went far when they were least expected to do so in a world championships. But it will be asking too much to expect Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying to do the same.
In 2006, Koo Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty saved Malaysia the blushes at the championships in Madrid when they won the country’s sole medal – a bronze after the failures of national stars in the singles and doubles.
This time, Malaysia are quietly hoping for youngsters Peng Soon-Liu Ying to pull off surprises in Paris.
The world No. 17 are Malaysia’s sole representatives in the mixed doubles following the withdrawal of the Kien Keat-Pei Tty combination following the latter’s decision to go for a knee surgery.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying raised a hope that Malaysia can excel in the mixed doubles too when they won the country’s first-ever Open title at the Asian championships in Hyderabad in April.
The road looks a challenging one for them but the 21-year-old Peng Soon has set a target to reach at least the quarter-finals.
“This is the second outing for Liu Ying and I in the world championships. We crashed out in the first round at the last edition (in Hyderabad). For now, all we want is to upset one of the big names in doubles play,” he said.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying are drawn in the same quarter with third seeds Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezda Kostiuczyk of Poland and ninth seeds V. Diju-Jwala Gutta of India. The duo will take on Belgium’s Jonathan Gillis-Severine Corvilain in the opening round today.
It will also be difficult to bank on women’s singles shuttlers Wong Mew Choo and Lydia Cheah for breakthroughs in Paris.
Mew Choo will take on Germany’s Karin Schnase in the first round today but her biggest challenge will probably be against second seed Saina Nehwal of India in the third round. Lydia has a first-round bye but faces a tough challenge against eighth seed Juliane Schenk of Germany in her opening match.
The other Malaysian representatives in the world championships are men’s singles players Lee Chong Wei, Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Wong Choong Hann and the men’s pairs of Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen

Posted by Lucas Liau on 9:13 AM. Filed under Latest News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0