ants
04-26-2005, 03:19 AM
TheStar
ALOR STAR: The newly-crowned Kedah Open men’s doubles champions Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat will be Malaysia’s second doubles pair for next year’s Thomas Cup campaign.
National chief coach Yap Kim Hock, who is also the doubles coach, evaluated the performances of all the men’s doubles pairs in Alor Star and concluded that Taiwan Open champions Chong Ming-Kien Keat were better than the other upcoming pairs.
The other national men’s doubles pairs who came under Kim Hock’s scrutiny in the Kedah Open were Malaysian Open semi-finalists Ong Soon Hock-Tan Bin Shen, the improving Lin Woon Fui-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari and Gan Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry Latif and reigning world junior champions Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How.
Veteran players Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah, who both missed the Kedah Open through injuries, will continue to spearhead Malaysia’s challenge as the number one pair.
“When Wan Wah returns from injury, he will resume his partnership with Tan Fook. They are our most experienced doubles pair and will most likely be our number one pair in the Thomas Cup next year,” said Kim Hock.
LONG WAY TO GO: Koo Kien Keat (left) and Chan Chong Ming defeated Choon Eng- Chieng Hun in the Kedah Open final on Sunday night.
“I intend to groom Chong Ming-Kien Keat to fill up the number two spot for the Thomas Cup challenge as most of the other young pairs are just beginning to find their footing in the international scene after the recent squad reshuffle.”
Chong Ming-Kien Keat defeated the scratch pair of Chew Choon Eng-Hong Chieng Hun 7-15, 15-13, 15-8 in the Kedah Open final on Sunday night.
“They (Chong Ming-Kien Keat) still have a lot of work ahead of them before they are ready for the Thomas Cup challenge,” said Kim Hock. “Chong Ming has yet to regain his killer smash since undergoing a shoulder operation last year while Kien Keat lacks maturity on the court. The good thing is that they have time on their side to work on improving their weaknesses.”
Prior to partnering Kien Keat, two-time world junior champion Chong Ming formed the number two pair in the country with Choon Eng.
Choon Eng teamed up with Tan Fook after a long-term injury floored Wan Wah just after the Athens Olympics last year.
Singles player Wong Choong Hann has been named as Choon Eng’s new partner.
Choon Eng and Chieng Hun, the national team’s sparring partner who came in as a last-minute replacement for Tan Fook in the Kedah Open, surprised many by powering their way into the final.
Among those beaten by the scratch pair were Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry and Tan Zhao Rong-Choong Hann.
“I am not surprised by Choon Eng and Chieng Hun’s run into the final as they relied on their vast experience to pull them through. I am also not alarmed by the younger pairs’ performances,” said Kim Hock.
“Both the semi-finals involving Choon Eng-Chieng Hun against Mohd Zakry-Teik Chai and Chong Ming-Kien Keat against Woon Fui-Fairuzizuan were close affairs which stretched to three games.
“This shows that the younger pairs are moving in the right direction and have closed the gap on their seniors in the local circuit. So, what is needed now is for them to improve and bridge the gap with the top international shuttlers in the international tournaments.”
The men’s doubles competition provided the biggest excitement in the Kedah Open, the first leg of this year’s local circuit.
The top seeds in all the other categories won, with Lee Chong Wei (men’s singles), Wong Mew Choo (women’s singles), Chin Ee Hui-Wong Pei Tty (women’s doubles) and Kien Keat-Pei Tty (mixed doubles) proving too strong in their respective events.
ALOR STAR: The newly-crowned Kedah Open men’s doubles champions Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat will be Malaysia’s second doubles pair for next year’s Thomas Cup campaign.
National chief coach Yap Kim Hock, who is also the doubles coach, evaluated the performances of all the men’s doubles pairs in Alor Star and concluded that Taiwan Open champions Chong Ming-Kien Keat were better than the other upcoming pairs.
The other national men’s doubles pairs who came under Kim Hock’s scrutiny in the Kedah Open were Malaysian Open semi-finalists Ong Soon Hock-Tan Bin Shen, the improving Lin Woon Fui-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari and Gan Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry Latif and reigning world junior champions Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How.
Veteran players Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah, who both missed the Kedah Open through injuries, will continue to spearhead Malaysia’s challenge as the number one pair.
“When Wan Wah returns from injury, he will resume his partnership with Tan Fook. They are our most experienced doubles pair and will most likely be our number one pair in the Thomas Cup next year,” said Kim Hock.
LONG WAY TO GO: Koo Kien Keat (left) and Chan Chong Ming defeated Choon Eng- Chieng Hun in the Kedah Open final on Sunday night.
“I intend to groom Chong Ming-Kien Keat to fill up the number two spot for the Thomas Cup challenge as most of the other young pairs are just beginning to find their footing in the international scene after the recent squad reshuffle.”
Chong Ming-Kien Keat defeated the scratch pair of Chew Choon Eng-Hong Chieng Hun 7-15, 15-13, 15-8 in the Kedah Open final on Sunday night.
“They (Chong Ming-Kien Keat) still have a lot of work ahead of them before they are ready for the Thomas Cup challenge,” said Kim Hock. “Chong Ming has yet to regain his killer smash since undergoing a shoulder operation last year while Kien Keat lacks maturity on the court. The good thing is that they have time on their side to work on improving their weaknesses.”
Prior to partnering Kien Keat, two-time world junior champion Chong Ming formed the number two pair in the country with Choon Eng.
Choon Eng teamed up with Tan Fook after a long-term injury floored Wan Wah just after the Athens Olympics last year.
Singles player Wong Choong Hann has been named as Choon Eng’s new partner.
Choon Eng and Chieng Hun, the national team’s sparring partner who came in as a last-minute replacement for Tan Fook in the Kedah Open, surprised many by powering their way into the final.
Among those beaten by the scratch pair were Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry and Tan Zhao Rong-Choong Hann.
“I am not surprised by Choon Eng and Chieng Hun’s run into the final as they relied on their vast experience to pull them through. I am also not alarmed by the younger pairs’ performances,” said Kim Hock.
“Both the semi-finals involving Choon Eng-Chieng Hun against Mohd Zakry-Teik Chai and Chong Ming-Kien Keat against Woon Fui-Fairuzizuan were close affairs which stretched to three games.
“This shows that the younger pairs are moving in the right direction and have closed the gap on their seniors in the local circuit. So, what is needed now is for them to improve and bridge the gap with the top international shuttlers in the international tournaments.”
The men’s doubles competition provided the biggest excitement in the Kedah Open, the first leg of this year’s local circuit.
The top seeds in all the other categories won, with Lee Chong Wei (men’s singles), Wong Mew Choo (women’s singles), Chin Ee Hui-Wong Pei Tty (women’s doubles) and Kien Keat-Pei Tty (mixed doubles) proving too strong in their respective events.