On the right track
Women’s pair Eei Hui-pei Tty closer to realising Olympic dream
PETALING JAYA: Veterans Chin Eeiei Hui-wong Pei Tty kept alive their Olympic dreamream but it is all over for their younger counter partsrparts Woon Khe Wei-vivian Hoo.
World No. 15 Eei Hui-pei Tty made it to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a hard-fought 19-21, 21-13, 21-19 win over Indonesia’s Suci Rizky Andini-dellaella Destiara Haris in a 55-minute second roundund match in Sydney. They will take Yu-chin on arch-rivals of Taiwan, Chenghengwenan, who Wenhsing-chien stunned third seeds Jung Kyung-ng-euna a thrilltheir eunKim Ha-na of South Korea with thrilling 14-21, 21-14, 23-21 win.
Khe Wei-vivian failed to join their seniors sento after losing 15-21, 11-21 to Japan’s Misaki Matsutomo-ayaka Takahashiashi in 40 minutes.
With the defeat, and with time against them, world No. 19 Khe Wei-vivianan are unlikely unlikeof to make the top 16 cut by end of this month. Only the top 16 are assured of places in the London Games.
National coach Rexy Mainaky said that the ball is now in Eei Hui-pei Tty’s court to seall theh spot.
“Pei Tty and Eei Hui know that they will have to reach the final to confirm their place. For now, their position is still at risk,” said Rexy in a telephone interview.
Eei Hui-pei Tty reached the final last year and, in order to get the same number of ranking points, they have to at least repeat the feat.
“I have decided that even if we have two pairs in the top 16, I will only choose the higher ranked for the Games. For now, Eei HuiPei Tty are the frontrunners,” said Rexy.
“It is difficult for Khe Wei and Vivian to make the cut with only two tournaments remaining (Asian Badminton Championships and India Super Series).”
Pei Tty was happy to reach the quarterfinals but admitted that a match against the Taiwanese would make or break their Olympic hopes. Malaysia will also have one representative each in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles through Hoon Thien How-teo Kok Siang and han Peng Soon-goh Liu Ying respectively.
Thien How-kok Siang will face the first big test when they take on Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo-kenichi Hayakawa for a place in the semi-finals. They were left to shoulder the men’s doubles challenge following the defeats of Lim Khim Wah-goh V Shem and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari.
Peng Soon-liu Ying, who did the country proud by reaching the All-england semi-finals last month, will take on He Hanbin-bao Yixin of China next.
It was all over in the men’s singles for Malaysia when Chan Kwong Beng and Lok Chong Chieh lost in straight games to Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam and Chen Jin of China respectively.