Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai, Chou Tien Chen win German Open

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Congratulations to Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai for winning the 2018 German Open. (photo: C Pauli)
Congratulations to Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai for winning the 2018 German Open. (photo: C Pauli)

Mulheim: Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai cemented their status as the No. 1 mixed doubles pair in Malaysia after they beat Niclas Nohr/Sara Thygesen in the final of German Open 21-14, 22-20 to claim their third international title.

After winning the German Open, Goh/Lai heightened expectations for winning the gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games that will be held from April 4 to April 15, 2018.

Before the German Open, Goh/Lai had won the Malaysia International Challenge and Scotland Open in 2016. The pair took home USD $11,850 after their Sunday’s victory.

Next up for Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai will be the 2018 All England in Birmingham, UK.

Men’s singles No. 4 seed Chou Tien Chen and No. 6 seed Angus Ng Ka Long fought tooth and nail till the last minute. Ng tried to claw back in the decider by narrowing the gap from 15-20 to 18-20. But, Chou was able to raise his game and intensity levels at the crucial moment to hit a jump smashing towards Ng’s right baseline to score the match point. Chou immediately fell to the floor and celebrated his ultimate win in 84 minutes.

Chou Tien Chen (left) stands next to Angus Ng Ka Long during the award ceremony. (photo: C Pauli)
Chou Tien Chen (left) stands next to Angus Ng Ka Long during the award ceremony. (photo: C Pauli)

In the women’s competition, No. 1 seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan fought back from dropping a set to beat No. 4 seed Chen Yufei of China 21-19, 6-21, 21-12 in a three-set thriller.

The confusion among players and service judge regarding the questionable 1.15-meter service rule was in full display when No. 7 seeds Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto were called for service fault for 4 times in the first set and 1 time in the second set. The service faults were clearly huge distraction to the Indonesians.

“We started very well in the first set, but because I was getting all those service fault calls, I started to lose my concentration. I kept thinking how to avoid the service fault calls. In the second set, same thing happened, we were leading, and all of the sudden I got the service fault call, it’s huge distraction for me,” said Fajar Alfian.

“I am very unhappy with the service fault calls,” added Alfian.

Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto went down to Japanese pair the No. 6 seeds Takuto Inoue/Yuki Kaneko 16-21, 18-21.

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