PAIR READY TO RAISE THEIR GAME

Peng Soon-Liu Ying bank on favourable draw at Asia Championships

CHAN Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying have not had the best run in form the last couple of months, and they are determined to change that before the start of the Olympic qualifying period next week.

The mixed doubles pair, who started the season with a title (Thailand Masters), ran out of steam and have not been living

up to expectations after crashing out in the quarter-finals of the recent Malaysia Open and Singapore Open.

The 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medallists, however, have the opportunity to turn their fortunes at the Badminton Asia Championships (BAC), that starts today in Wuhan, China.

The fifth seeds have a good favourable draw. They will open their campaign against Singapore’s Danny Bawa ChrisnantaTan Wei Han.

“We have not been up to mark in the last couple of months and we need to bounce back soon,” said Peng Soon. “Ideally, we should maintain our ranking in the top eight until May next year.

“Looking at the BAC draw, it looks alright but we cannot take any of our opponents lightly. Should we clear the first round, we will likely face China’s He Jiting-Du Yue in the next round.”

The former BA of Malaysia (BAM) pair are also in the same half as Japan’s Yuta WatanabeArisa Higashino, who they are slated to face in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, it doesn’t look too good for high-flying Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, who will take on World No 1 Zheng SiweiHuang Yaqiong in the opening round.

The former national No 1 pair, who are on a comeback trail after reaching the semi-finals of the Malaysia Open and the final of the Singapore Open, are currently ranked No 21 in the world and can expect to move further up if they do well in Wuhan.

Another BAM pairing, Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei will play Hong Kong’s Yeung Ming Nok-Ng Tsz Yau in the first round while national No 1 Goh Soon HuatShevon Lai Jemie have pulled out of the competition. Soon Huat is down with a thigh strain.

Other Malaysians who have withdrawn are Goh Jin Wei (women’s singles) and independent men’s singles shuttler Liew Daren.