Just the right mix
Coach Rosman’s move to pair Vivian with Cheng Wen paying dividends
PETALING JAYA: National women’s doubles head coach Rosman Razak’s move to team up Vivian Hoo and Yap Cheng Wen is proving to be a masterstroke.
At the Macau Open yesterday, Vivian-Cheng Wen took a step closer to their maiden international victory when they ousted world No. 16 Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida of Japan 21-16, 21-17 in the semi-finals.
It will be the Malaysians’ second final after emerging runners-up at the Hyderabad Open in India in early September — their first tournament together.
Rosman named Vivian-Cheng Wen a permanent pair in September with an ambitious plan to see them qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
And world No. 75 Vivian-Cheng Wen are certainly showing early signs to turn Rosman’s vision into a reality.
Vivian said beating the more fancied NamiChiharu, the Taiwan Open champions and four-time runners-up on the BWF World Tour this year, made their feat even more satisfying.
“This is the first time we have beaten a world top 20 opponents. It’s our biggest win so far,” said Vivian.
“It’s always tough to play against the Japanese. They have a big and formidable pool of women’s doubles shuttlers. So it’s massive to beat one of them.
“I think this also shows that our combination is getting better. We understand each other better in every tournament.
“We combined really well and I think that’s the key (to the good run this week).”
Vivian-Cheng Wen stand a chance to become the first-ever Malaysian pair to win the women’s doubles event in the tournament since its inception in 2006 if it all ends well in Macau.
Standing in their way are another Japanese pair Misato Aratama-Akane Watanabe, the Vietnam Open winners, who beat Indonesia’s Yulfira Barkah-Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto 17-21, 21-14, 21-15, in today’s final.
“Hopefully, we’ll emerge victorious,” said Vivian.
“Regardless, it’s already a bonus for us to have come this far. We both are still learning as a pair, we want to improve and build a stronger combination.”
Hoo Pang Ron, however, failed to join his elder sister Vivian in today’s title deciders.
Pang Ron and partner Cheah Yee See’s aim to reach their career’s first final were dashed when they went down fighting 16-21, 21-19, 11-21 to top seeds Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong in the mixed doubles semi-finals.
It was still Pang Ron- Yee See’s best outing this year, improving from their last eight achievement at the Russian Open in July.