Mei Kuan-Meng Yean suffer another early exit at Denmark Open.
Women’s singles and doubles may go through huge revamp after dismal show
KUALA LUMPUR: Expect a big shake-up in the women’s singles and doubles department by the end of this year after the shuttlers dished out another mediocre performance at the Denmark Open.
National No. 1 women’s doubles pair Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean went down 12-21, 22-24 to Puttita Supajirakul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in a 49-minute second-round match in Odense yesterday.
The world No. 18 Thai pair is seen as one of Malaysia’s strongest rivals at the Philippines SEA Games from Nov 30-Dec 11.
The early defeat in Denmark is not the first for our world No. 15 pair as they have never gone beyond top-tier Tour Rosman The this duo, the tournaments year. Razak, who early are rounds look training in as the in the though World under two they pairs have from stagnated Japan, China, while Indonesia the top and Thailand have made huge progress.
The duo face the risk of having their partnership split unless they make drastic changes in their game to make a mark on the international stage.
Malaysia’s second-ranked pair Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen had earlier crashed out in the opening round in Denmark.
The good news is that the world No. 22 have done better than Mei Kuan-Meng Yean this year by reaching the Indian Open quarter-finals in January but that’s their best showing so far.
Malaysia’s challenge also ended early in women’s singles when Soniia Cheah lost in the first round. But Soniia is the only women’s singles player, who has shown improvement this year under Datuk Tey Seu Bock as the others have been affected by injuries.
It is learnt that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) are planning to bring in new coaches to add depth in the women’s team and may drop both coaches and players, who have not performed.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s challenge have been reduced further with the defeats of men’s doubles independent shuttlers Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie.
V Shem-Wee Kiong went down 16-21, 14-21 to reigning world champions Mohd Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the first round on Wednesday while Soon Huat-Shevon went down fighting 15-21, 20-22 to Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong in the second round yesterday.
Malaysia’s hope is now on Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying to reach the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles and mixed doubles respectively.
But Aaron-Wooi Yik have a mountain to climb against AhsanHendra in the second round but Peng Soon-Liu Ying should get past their Indian opponents Pranaav Jeery Chopra-Reddy N. Sikki to book a place in the last eight.