ALTHOUGH it is not official yet, a break-up after the London Olympics is inevitable for the country’s top doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.
But rather than worrying about it, the duo should stay focused on restoring their partnership for the Games in July.
It is not too late to give themselves a final chance to redeem themselves and end their seven-year partnership on a high by challenging for a gold medal.
They had started off brilliantly in 2006 but are now in total disarray as nothing seems to be going their way.
Their opponents do not fear them anymore — even when they have a comfortable lead as shown by China’s Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng, who came back from a 8-13 deficit in the second game to beat them 21-17, 21-18 in the Thomas Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong do not have any major titles to show since winning the 2010 Malaysian Open and could not finish off despite good starts in the finals of the 2010 Asian Games in Guanghzou, 2011 All-England and 2011 World Championships.
It paints a gloomy picture ahead of the Olympics and Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Nadzmi Mohd Salleh is ready to review their partnership after the Olympics.
Kien Keat agrees that only he and Boon Heong can find the answers as they have been given every opportunity to work things out.
“Boon Heong and I are still good but our tactical game has let us down several times. This was again evident in the match against Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng,” said Kien Keat.
“This could be my last Olympics with Boon Heong, but what I know is if we still have the hunger to win, we can make it in London. We will be focused in training.”
Boon Heong said he gave a better performance with Kien Keat on Wednesday than his combination with Hoon Thien How in the group tie against Denmark on Tuesday.