Simply impressive
Mei Kuan-Meng Yean upset top seeds to reach quarters
PETALING JAYA: Women’s doubles pair Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean scored the biggest upset of their career to reach the quarter-finals at the Korea Masters.
Their teammates, however, fell by the wayside.
Mei Kuan-Meng Yean dumped top seeds and Kuala Lumpur SEA Games champions Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai of Thailand 21-13, 21-12 in a 38-minute second-round match at the Yeomju Gymnasium in Gwangju City yesterday.
World No. 22 Mei Kuan-Meng Yean will meet South Koreans Chae Yoo-jung-Kim Hye-rin in the quarter-finals.
The South Koreans cruised past Taiwan’s Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tau 21-11, 21-6.
Yesterday’s win was the Malaysians’ first against a top-10 pair this season. The Thais are ranked ninth in the world. There could have been double joy for Malaysia in women’s doubles had Lim Yin Loo-Yap Cheng Wen not gone down fighting 21-15, 18-21, 18-21 to Cheng Yu-chiehHu Ling-fang of Taiwan.
National women’s doubles head coach Wong Pei Tty was happy with Mei KuanMeng Yean’s performance.
“Finally, they have beaten a higher-ranked pair. They’ve been working very hard, but always fell short,” said Pei Tty.
The duo had also reached the semi-finals of the Vietnam Open in September, the quarter-finals of the Malaysian Masters (in January), Syed Modi International in India (January), Dutch Open (October) and Macau Open (November).
“They still have a long way to go but, I think, the win is timely and good for their morale,” said Pei Tty.
There was heartbreak for Malaysia in men’s doubles when Goh V Shem-Teo Ee Yi went down 21-15, 20-22, 19-21 after fighting tooth-and-nail with Thailand’s Bodin Isaea-Nipitphon Phuangphet.
The others – Soong Joo Ven, Chong Wei Feng, Soniia Cheah and Chan Peng SoonCheah Yee See – failed to rise to the occasion.