Koo-Tan can silence critics by beating Indonesians
Top News 9:35 AM
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong have a chance
to silence the critics when they take on Indonesians Markis Kido-Hendra
Setiawan of Indonesia in the quarter-finals of the All-England at
Birmingham today.
On Thursday, Markis-Hendra stream rolled past
Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata of Japan 21-14, 21-13 to set up a
meeting with the Malaysians.
The Indonesians are fired up to do well as the All-England crown will complete their impressive collection of titles.
The
duo had beaten Kien Keat-Boon Heong for their first Asian Games title
in Guangzhou, China, last November – adding to their earlier collection
of the Olympic and world titles.
As for the Malaysians, a first
win over the Indonesians in more than a year will help them regain some
pride after going through troubled waters since the start of this year.
Full stretch:
Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand dives to return a shot during the
All-England second round match against South Korea’s Lee Hyun-il in
Birmingham on Thursday. Boonsak won 22-20, 21-12 to set up a
quarter-final meeting with top seed Lee Chong Wei. – AFP National coach Rexy Mainaky is hoping for his charges to record their best win this season.
“They are playing better here and I hope they will continue with their form.
“I believe they have a chance to go far here,” said Rexy in a telephone interview.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong failed to defend their title at the Malaysia Open in January after losing to unheralded Hong Wei-Shen Ye of China in the first round.
The Malaysians lost to South Koreans Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae in the semi-finals of the South Korea and German Opens respectively and also failed to make the second stage of the Super Series Masters Finals in Taiwan in January.
The duo have come under fire for their inability to keep pace with the top players and a win over Markis-Hendra will go a long way to reaffirming their status as the country’s most reliable pair.
Malaysia will also be hoping for a double joy when Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Hoon Thien How take on Denmark’s world No. 1 pair Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen for a place in the semi-finals.
In the men’s singles, world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei has a good chance to get the better of Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand for a place in the semi-finals.
Four-time All-England champion Lin Dan is the only China player left in the fray after the shocking defeat of his compatriots – world champion Chen Jin and junior shuttler Wang Zhengming.
Chen Jin bowed out 18-21, 20-22 to Marc Zwiebler of Germany while Zhengming went down 15-21, 21-19, 16-21 to Japan’s Kazushi Yamada.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 9:35 AM.
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