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Fairuzizuan-Zakry will have to regain the confidence of coaches

Posted by Lucas Liau News 8:42 AM

KUALA LUMPUR: The national badminton men’s pair of Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif have been vulnerable and they may be easy targets for the back-up combinations looking for breakthroughs in the National Grand Prix Finals.

But Fairuzizuan-Zakry are not ready to give up without a fight in the premier local championships, which begin on Thursday at the Bandaraya Stadium in Johor Baru.

Currently, the duo are struggling to hold on to their status as the second ranked Malaysian pair after Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and they hope to restore order with good performances.

Redemption time: Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari (left) and Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif are out to maintain their status as Malaysia’s No. 2 pair with an impressive display in the National GP Finals.

In the absence of Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who did not qualify for the Finals, it will be a big morale boost for Fairuzizuan-Zakry if they can win their first-ever national title.

In fact, it may even put them back in the good books of coaches in the selection of the team for the Thomas Cup Finals.

The duo had started the season miserably with a first-round defeat in the Malaysian Open last month. It earned them the wrath of the coaches and they were left out of the team for the centenary All-England in Birmingham next month. And Fairuzizuan said that they were determined to bounce back.

“The coaches have come down hard on us. It will not help if we continue to go downhill. Our goal is to get back on our feet again,” he said. “We admit that some of the back-up players have caught up. It is not getting any easier for us. We have a poor record in the GP Finals ... always beaten by back-up pairs. This time, a lot is at stake if we lose. We will go all out to win our first national title.”

Fairuzizuan-Zakry are in Group B with Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng, Goh Wei Shem-Vountus Indra Mawan and Cheah Like Hou-Chow Pak Chuu. In Group A are Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong, Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah and Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han.

The top two pairs in each group advance to the crossover semi-finals. The back-up pairs expected to spoil the party for Fairuzizuan-Zakry are Peng Soon-Khim Wah and Hee Chun-Wee Kiong. Peng Soon-Khim Wah are the defending champions.