Kok Siang believes he has found right partner in Jian Guo

KUALA LUMPUR: Swapping partners is a common occurrence in Teo Kok Siang’s badminton career.

The former world junior doubles champion has changed numerous partners over the last five years. And all the partnerships, some less than a year, ended in disappointment without any significant results. Lack of chemistry, injuries and the coaches’ random decisions were the cause of the break-ups.

Kok Siang’s last partnership was with Mohd Lutfi Zaim Abdul Khalid. It lasted only five months as Lutfi is injured.

Now, Kok Siang believes he has found a right one in Ong Jian Guo.

Jian Guo is now available because his partner Chan Peng Soon will only concentrate on the mixed doubles with Goh Liu Ying.

“I think I have played almost with everyone in the national team,” quipped Kok Siang. “Hopefully, this new decision to pair me up with Ong will take our partnership to greater heights.

“It is a new year and I hope that things will work out well for me and my new partner,” said Kok Siang.

Kok Siang’s most succcesful partnership was with Goh V Shem. They were ranked world No. 21 at one stage. Unfortunately, a career-threatening knee injury in February 2011 forced him out of competition for six months.

It also ended his partnership with V Shem, who went on to forge a partnership with diminutive Lim Khim Wah. Now, the top five ranked pairs in the country are Koo-Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Hoon Thien How-Tan WeeKiong, Khim-Wah-VShem, Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han and 2011 world junior champions Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Teo Ee Yi.