Brilliant start for Eei Hui and Pei Tty

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian women’s doubles veterans Chin Eei Hui-wong Pei Tty got off to a brilliant start in the Australian Open in Sydney to strengthen their pursuit of a place in the London Olympic Games.

But they are also aware that they have an enemy within – Woon Khe Wei-vivian Hoo – who could derail their Olympic hopes.

Both the old and young Malaysian pairs – Eei Hui-pei Tty and Khe WeiVivian respectively – checked into the second round after winning their opening matches in contrasting fashions yesterday.

World No. 15 Eei Hui-pei Tty took advantage of new Chinese pair Bao Yixin-deng Yuting’s weak defence to score a 16-21, 21-16, 21-12 firstround win and set up a date with Indonesians Suci Rizky Andini-della Destiara Haris.

The unheralded Indonesians pulled the rug from under Singapore Open champions Shinta Mulia SariYao Lei with a convincing 21-18, 21-19 win in another opening round match.

Indonesia Open Grand Prix Gold winners Khe Wei-vivian got an easy ride into the second round when Chong Vee Vian-julia Wong conceded a walkover. The Malaysian youngsters will now take on Japan’s Misaki Matsutomo-ayaka Takahashi.

Khe Wei-vivian are ranked 19th in the world and a win over the Japanese will surely give them a tremendous boost and also good ranking points as they seek to break into the top 16 before the Olympic qualifying period ends this month.

The 30-year-old Eei Hui said they could not afford to slip up “as the chase for Olympic qualification is getting keener”.

“Today, I was not in the right frame of mind at the beginning and I struggled to read our opponents’ game.

“Fortunately, I snapped out of it. I had better control in the second game and played better with Pei Tty,” said Eei Hui in a telephone interview.

“This Chinese pair is still new and young. Their defence was not potent and we took our chances by playing a more aggressive game.

“We have not played against the Indonesians but they looked quite sharp in their first round win. It is important for Pei Tty and I to stay focused as the match could go either way.”

Eei Hui-pei Tty will lose valuable points if they crash out early in the Australian Open. They were the runners-up last year and will have to reach the same stage if they are to keep the same number of ranking points.

Meanwhile, All-england semifinalists Chan Peng Soon-goh Liu Ying made it to the second round with a 21-17, 21-13 win over Australians Glenn Warfe-leanne Choo yesterday.

But they had better brace themselves for a tough time against Hong Kong’s Wong Wai Hong-chau Hoi Wah for a place in the quarterfinals.

Malaysia kept alive their challenge in the women’s singles when Lydia Cheah knocked out compatriot Tee Jing Yi 10-21, 21-13, 21-18 to set up a meeting with Japan’s rising star Minatsu Mitani.