Hee Chun and Wee Kiong pack off Thais, stroll for Pei Tty and Eei Hui
Top News 9:37 AM
KUALA LUMPUR: National back-up squad shuttlers Mak Hee Chun and Tan Wee Kiong have not played as a pair for three months because of a strained relationship.
But yesterday, the duo indicated that they have mended their ways when they complemented each other well to eliminate Thailand’s top pair A. Songphon-Sudket Prapakamol 21-16, 16-21, 21-12 in a 37-minute first-round match.
Hee Chun-Wee Kiong will take on Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata of Japan today for a place in the quarter-finals.
Back in form: Malaysia’s Mak Hee Chun and Tan Wee Kiong packed off Thailand’s A. Songphon-Sudket Prapakamol in the first round of the Singapore Open Wednesday.
Coach Tan Kim Her is using the Singapore Open as a platform to determine the future of the duo as a pair.
Hee Chun-Wee Kiong, who had good runs in international tournaments last year to take them to No. 21 in the world rankings, have not featured together since a first-round defeat at the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold in Basel in March.
They are now ranked at No. 52 and if they do no advance far in the Singapore Open, Kim Her will test them with new partners.
It was also a good day for Malaysia in the women’s doubles event when Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui got off to a flying start yesterday. The duo hardly raised a sweat in a 21-14, 21-17 win over Holland’s Lotte Jonathans-Paulien van Doormalen.
The seasoned campaigners will take on Indonesians Vita Marissa-Nadya Melati for a place in the quarter-finals.
Coach Pang Cheh Chang was happy with the impressive startand hoped that they would keep up the momentum.
“It has been three months since Pei Tty and Eei Hui resumed their partnership. So far, they have been moving in the right direction,” he said.
“Hopefully, they will go far in this Singapore Open. It will certainly give them extra motivation ahead of the world championships.”
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 9:37 AM.
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