PEI JING-KIAN MENG EMERGE TRIUMPHANT AT VIETNAM OPEN GP
Pei Jing-Kian Meng finally get it right with maiden international title in Vietnam Open
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian youngsters Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing finally got the monkey off their back by winning their maiden international title at the Vietnam Open Grand Prix badminton tournament.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing, seeded third, saw off fourth seeds Alfian Eko Prasetya-Annisa Saufika of Indonesia 21-16, 21-11 in 35 minutes in the mixed doubles final in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday.
It was a sweet taste of victory for Kian Meng-Pei Jing as they were beaten in three previous finals at the Malaysian Masters, Poland International and Taiwan Open this year.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing, who only teamed up late last year, are the second-ranked pair in the country after Olympics-bound Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying.
Kian Meng was delighted with the win and felt that they played a better game compared to the 23-21, 21-19 victory over Indonesia’s Hafiz Faisal-Shella Devi Aulia in the semi-finals on Saturday.
“We never gave up fighting. Maybe our opponents were nervous today,” said Kian Meng, who dedicated his win as a belated birthday present to his father Tan Poh Kok, who turned 57 on July 20.
“I want to thank my dad for his support all these years. Although this is not a major tournament, it’s still my first international title. I’m sure he’s going to be very happy with it.
“I want to keep working hard and reward him with more victories,” he added.
Malaysia could have emerged as the biggest winners of the tournament, but independents Chong Wei Feng and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong fell short in their finals.
Singapore SEA Games gold medallist Wei Feng was beaten 12-21, 21-14, 13-21 by Hong Kong’s fourth seed Vincent Wong Wing Ki in the men’s singles final.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, the All-England winners in 2007, also failed to claim their first men’s doubles title of the year after losing 21-18, 14-21, 7-21 to second seeds Lee Jhehuei-Lee Yang of Taiwan.