20 Oct 2006
Ajitpal Singh
MALAYSIAS top mens doubles pair of Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah may be dropped from the Doha Asian Games if they dont buck up following their shock second round defeat to an unheralded Japanese pair in the China Open yesterday
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Chief coach Yap Kim Hock said he and doubles coach Rexy Mainaky will discuss the next step for the duo after the China Open.
"I am disappointed with their loss. They have not been playing well in the past few months and I think the best option now is either for them to improve in training or face the drop from the Asian Games," he said in an telephone interview from Guangzhou yesterday.
World No 3 Tan Fook and Wan Wah were given a lesson when they were soundly beaten 21-17, 21-9 by Japans Keishi Kawaguchi-Naoki Kawamae in the second round.
What made the defeat more painful was that the Japanese had to play in the qualifying round to make the main draw.
Kim Hock said their replacement could be World Championships quarter-finalist Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari-Lin Woon Fui.
However, Kim Hock was happy with the performance of Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat although they lost in the second round.
"They have not been playing together as a pair since the World Championships following Chong Mings fathers death. They should improve before the Doha assignment," he added.
The defeats of their more fancied teammates meant World No 12 Gan Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif were the only Malaysian pair left yesterday.
Chong Ming-Kien Keat fell to a 21-11, 20-22, 20-22 defeat to Chinas scratch pair of Xu Chen and Xia Xuanze. Xia Xuanze was Chinas former top ranked singles player.
Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry moved into the quarter-finals when they defeated world junior doubles champion Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How 21-19, 21-12.
But they face tough opposition in World No 2 Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen next.
Wong Mew Choo also booked her place in the womens singles quarter-finals with a 21-18, 21-19 win over Chinas Jiang Yan Jiao.
However, Mew Choo, ranked 17th in the world, faces an uphill task against top seed Zhang Ning today.
In the womens doubles, Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui defeated Singapores Jiang Yanmei-Li Yujian 21-6, 21-12 to reach the quarter-finals.
They face Taiwans Chien Yu Chin-Cheng Wen Huing today.
Malaysians challenge in the mens singles ended when Kuan Beng Hong crashed to a 21-11, 21-9 defeat to Chinas second seed Chen Jin.
World Championship mixed doubles semi-finalists Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty were also early casualties, going down 21-17, 20-22, 21-19 to Xu Chen-Zhao Ting Ting of China.
RESULTS: (Malaysians unless stated): MENS Singles, 3rd rd: Chen Jin (Chn) bt Kuan Beng Hong 21-11, 21-9.
Doubles, 2nd rd: Gan Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif bt Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How 21-19, 21-12; Keishi Kawaguchi-Naoki Kawamae (Jpn) bt Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah 21-17, 21-9; Luluk Hadiyanto-Alvent Yulianto (Ina) bt Chew Choon Eng-Hong Chieng Hun 22-20, 21-14; Xu Chen-Xia Xuanze (Chn) bt Koo Kien Keat-Chan Chong Ming 11-21, 22-20, 22-20.
WOMENS Singles, 2nd rd: Wong Mew Choo bt Jiang Yan Jiao (Chn) 21-18, 21-19; Lu Lan (Chn) bt Julia Wong 21-11, 21-13.
Doubles, 2nd rd: Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui bt Jian Yanmei-Li Yujian (Sin) 21-6, 21-12.
MIXED DOUBLES, 2nd rd:Xu Chen-Zhao Ting Ting (Chn) bt Koo Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty 21-17, 20-22, 21-19; Xie Zhongbo-Zhang Ya Wen (Chn) bt Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen 21-16, 21-15.
(source: english.eastday.com)
