TheStar PETALING JAYA: Youngster Lim Kenn suffered a cruel blow when the draw for the World Junior Individual Championships was released on Friday but the top junior pair of Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How could afford to smile. The 18-year-old Lim Kenn, who had been all fired up to do well in his second world junior outing, has been drawn to meet top seed and defending champion Chen Jin of China in the third round of the boys singles. Before leaving for Vancouver, Lim Kenn, who had been troubled with knee injury and still sore with his second round exit in the last world junior meet in South Africa, had been hoping to avoid the 18-year-old Chen Jin. Chen Jin has proven to be better than some seniors when he emerged as champion in the Polish and French Opens this year. Another Malaysian, Tan Chun Seang has also been drawn in the same quarter with Chen Jin. In the mixed team tie played earlier, the lanky Chinese outclassed Chun Seang 15-2, 15-11 in just 35 minutes. But Chun Seang may not get to meet Chen Jin this time. He will have to beat two seeded players in Thai Sittichai Vibbonsin (16th seed) in the third round and South Korean Han Ki-hoon (seventh seed) in the fourth round before he can face Chen Jin in the quarter-finals. Debutant Chong Wei Feng's challenge also may also end early. He is expected to play 11th seed Wijanu Markus of Indonesia in the third round. Eight seeds Boon Heong-Thien How, however, should at least reach the quarter-finals without much problems. Their target is to reach the semi-finals and fourth seed Li Rui-Cai Liu of China are expected to stand in their way in the last eight. However, if the Malaysians play true to form, they can upset the Chinese. Scratch pair Azrihanif-Chun Seang will also play in the boys doubles. But they will have an uphill task as they are expected to meet third seeds Shen Ye-He Hanbin of China in the third round (last 16). The top two seeds in the boys doubles are South Koreans Yoo Yeon-seong-Jeon Jun-bum and Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jung-young. Both were the champions and runner-up of the Asian Junior Championships respectively. Malaysia's have had won titles in the world junior meet. In 1996, Chan Chong Ming-Jeremy Gam emerged as the boys doubles champion. In 1996, Malaysia bagged two titles through Chong Ming-Teo Kok Seng (boy's doubles) and Chong Ming-Joanne Quay (mixed doubles). Two years ago in South Africa, Tan Bin Shen-Jack Koh were the boys doubles runner-up.
