ants
02-21-2006, 07:02 PM
Feb22nd TheStar
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian women's singles shuttlers will have to brace for a new threat from India in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games next month.
In the just concluded Uber Cup Asian Zone qualifying tournament in Jaipur, Wong Mew Choo and Julia Wong were beaten by Indian opponents in the playoff for fifth place.
World number 12 Mew Choo went down 17-21, 19-21 to India’s second ranked Trupti Murgunde while national champion Julia was beaten 17-21, 10-21 by Saina Nehwal.
Malaysia, however, won the tie 3-2 with third singles player Norsyahliza Baharum and the doubles pairs of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty and Fong Chew Yen-Mooi Hing Yau delivering the goods.
Four teams advanced from the Asian Zone qualifiers – South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. And Malaysia are the first reserve for the Finals, which will be played in Japan from April 28-May 7.
Chief coach Yap Kim Hock said on his arrival from Jaipur on Monday: “India have a strong line-up in the women’s singles. Their players did well in the Uber Cup qualifiers and they are certainly not easy opponents in the Commonwealth Games.”
India can also bank on the 1998 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Aparna Popat to strengthen their challenge in Melbourne.
Besides Mew Choo and Julia, the other women in the Malaysian team for the Melbourne Games are Eei Hui, Pei Tty and Ooi Sock Ai.
Although the women's team failed to make the cut for the Uber Cup Finals, Kim Hock was happy with the players' performances.
“They were in a tough group and failed to make it on countback. They defeated Indonesia for the first time and I am happy with that,” he said.
Malaysia were beaten by Taiwan and South Korea. Their other win was over Iran.
“Mew Choo did well to beat South Korea’s top player (Seo Hoon-yee). All three youngsters – Norsyahliza, Julia and Anita (Kaur Raj) – played well. But there were occasions when they struggled to adapt to the new rally scoring format (21-point best-of-three games).”
Besides the Indians, the women's singles players from Singapore and England are also strong challengers for medals in the Melbourne Games.
Singapore and England finished as the third ranked team in the Uber Cup Asian and European Zone qualifiers respectively.
For the record, Malaysia last won the Commonwealth Games women's singles gold medal through Sylvia Ng in Edmonton in 1978. In an all-Malaysian final, Sylvia defeated Katherine Teh.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian women's singles shuttlers will have to brace for a new threat from India in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games next month.
In the just concluded Uber Cup Asian Zone qualifying tournament in Jaipur, Wong Mew Choo and Julia Wong were beaten by Indian opponents in the playoff for fifth place.
World number 12 Mew Choo went down 17-21, 19-21 to India’s second ranked Trupti Murgunde while national champion Julia was beaten 17-21, 10-21 by Saina Nehwal.
Malaysia, however, won the tie 3-2 with third singles player Norsyahliza Baharum and the doubles pairs of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty and Fong Chew Yen-Mooi Hing Yau delivering the goods.
Four teams advanced from the Asian Zone qualifiers – South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. And Malaysia are the first reserve for the Finals, which will be played in Japan from April 28-May 7.
Chief coach Yap Kim Hock said on his arrival from Jaipur on Monday: “India have a strong line-up in the women’s singles. Their players did well in the Uber Cup qualifiers and they are certainly not easy opponents in the Commonwealth Games.”
India can also bank on the 1998 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Aparna Popat to strengthen their challenge in Melbourne.
Besides Mew Choo and Julia, the other women in the Malaysian team for the Melbourne Games are Eei Hui, Pei Tty and Ooi Sock Ai.
Although the women's team failed to make the cut for the Uber Cup Finals, Kim Hock was happy with the players' performances.
“They were in a tough group and failed to make it on countback. They defeated Indonesia for the first time and I am happy with that,” he said.
Malaysia were beaten by Taiwan and South Korea. Their other win was over Iran.
“Mew Choo did well to beat South Korea’s top player (Seo Hoon-yee). All three youngsters – Norsyahliza, Julia and Anita (Kaur Raj) – played well. But there were occasions when they struggled to adapt to the new rally scoring format (21-point best-of-three games).”
Besides the Indians, the women's singles players from Singapore and England are also strong challengers for medals in the Melbourne Games.
Singapore and England finished as the third ranked team in the Uber Cup Asian and European Zone qualifiers respectively.
For the record, Malaysia last won the Commonwealth Games women's singles gold medal through Sylvia Ng in Edmonton in 1978. In an all-Malaysian final, Sylvia defeated Katherine Teh.