Badminton: Fairuzizuan-Zakry set up showdown against Yong-dae-Jae-sung

KUALA LUMPUR: On Friday, Malaysians Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong were hot. Yesterday, they blew cold, going down to compatriots Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open.

Fairuzizuan-Zakry took just 36 minutes to beat Kien Keat-Boon Heong 12-21, 21-13, 22-20 in a men’s doubles match that saw both pairs playing well below par.

Just a day earlier, Kien Keat-Boon Heong had been on cloud nine after beating top seeds and Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.

With yesterday’s defeat, Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s campaign in the 12-leg Super Series this year comes to an end without them having qualified for a single final.

Following their exits, expectations are high on Fairuzizuan-Zakry to end their five-month title drought when they take on South Koreans Lee Yong -dae-Jung Jae-sung in today’s final.

Yong-dae-Jae-sung defeated England’s Anthony Clark-Nathan Roberston 21-19, 21-17 in the other semi-final.

Zakry said there was no joy in beating their compatriots

“I have nothing much to say on our win against our good friends. I think, we got lucky today,” said Zakry in a telephone interview.

“We are not in the best of condition. It will be tough for us in the final. No one is going to make it easy for us.”

Fairuzizuan, however, seemed more optimistic.

“Our key to success today was the fact that we were more aggressive in our attacks. We hope to stay focused and cut down on our mistakes,” Fairuzizuan said.

The duo’s previous Super Series wins came at the Singapore and Indonesia Opens in June.

Despite their below par performances, national chief coach Rexy Mainaky was happy that both pairs — Zakry-Fairuzizuan and Kien Keat-Boon Heong — have made it to the Super Series Masters Finals, which will be held in Kota Kinabalu from Dec 18-21.

“It was an anti climax that Koo-Tan lost to Fairuzizuan-Zakry. But, at least, we have one pair in the final,” he added.

The men’s singles final will be an all-China affair with China 0pen champion Lin Dan taking on Chen Jin.

In the semi-finals, Lin Dan disposed of Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana 21-15, 21-16 while Chen Jin overcame Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat 21-17, 21-14.

Posted by Lucas Liau on 8:32 AM. Filed under Fairuzizuan, News, Zakry . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0