The wait continues
Chow-Lee go down fighting again to south Korean world No. 5 pair
They came close but there was no joy, so national women’s doubles shuttlers Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean will have to keep on waiting for their first-ever win over world No. 5 Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan at the Hong Kong Open.
The world No. 12 almost ended their run of three defeats to the South Koreans when they were 18-16 up in the deciding game but they failed to hold on, losing 16-21, 21-18, 19-21 in 63 minutes in the opening round yesterday.
Mei Kuan-Meng Yean even fought back from 6-11 down to get the advantage.
It was nevertheless another encouraging performance from the national No. 1 pair who have found themselves outclassed in straight games in their last three meetings against So-hee-Seung-chan.
The pair, who have struggled to make an impact against the top 10 pairs, are finally starting to look more dangerous especially after upsetting Indonesia’s world No. 8 Greysia
Polii-Apriayani Rahayu 21-19, 21-16 in the first round of the Fuzhou China Open last week.
But for the world No. 27 pair of Vivian HooYap Cheng Wen, it was game over. They were outdone by 31st ranked Taiwanese pair Hsu Ya-ching-Hu Ling-fang 21-16, 15-21, 17-21.
In the men’s doubles event, the national pairs of Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi advanced but it was the end of the road for independent pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong.
Aaron-Wooi Yik continued to strengthen their claim for a place in the World Tour Finals in Guangzhou next month by easily overcoming Indonesian pair Ricky K ar and asu ward iAngg aP rat am a 21-13,21-14.
Only the top eight pairs in the Race to Guangzhou rankings will qualify.
Aaron-Wooi Yik are now in ninth place and close behind the eighth and final spot held by Taiwanese pair Lu Ching-yao-Yang Po-han.
V Shem-Wee Kiong, who lie 10th in the rankings, crashed out 12-21, 15-21 to Russian pair Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov.