‘Show me your hunger’

three days to go before the World Championships, national women’s doubles pair Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean are in a dilemma.

Do they go all out in the ongoing Russian Open in Vladivostok, or should they save their strength to peak at the world meet in Nanjing, China?

Yesterday, the national No 1 pair reached the semi-finals of the Russian Open with an easy 21-16, 21-11 win over local duo Elena Komendrovskaja-Maria Shegurova.

Mei Kuan-Meng Yean will face teammates Lim Chiew Sien-Tan Sueh Jeou next for a place in the final.

National women’s doubles head coach, Rosman Razak, when contacted, said he has advised his trainees to do well in every tournament, regardless of its status.

“I know Mei Kuan-Meng Yean will have to play in the World Championships next week, but if they can’t show me how much they want to win in China by doing well here, then what’s the point?

“It’s not about the fear of not being able to peak. As a shuttler, you want to do well in every tournament. If they (Mei Kuan-Meng Yean) can go on to win the Russian Open title, why not do it? I want to see their hunger.”

Earlier, Chiew Sien-Sueh Jeou had seen off South Korea’s Kim Min Kyung-Lim Soo Bin 21-14, 2117 in the quarter-finals.

Also through to the next round of the Russian Open were mixed doubles Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei, women’s singles Ho Yen Mei and independent men’s doubles duo Mohammad Arif Latif-Nur Azriyn Ayub.

It was, however, the end of the road for mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See and independent men’s singles shuttler R. Satheishtharan.