Enough of Fei-lure
Sze Fei hopes to get it right with Izzuddin at Vietnam Open
KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s doubles shuttler Goh Sze Fei was slumped in a corner after ending his SEA Games debut without any medals.
Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani lost to Indonesians Fajar AlfianMuhd Rian Ardianto in the quarter-finals of the individual competition last week.
They also did not get to play in the team event because the tie was all decided before it was their turn to play.
His dejection is understandable because the KL SEA Games was a platform for them to make a name for themselves. But they, not for the first time, failed.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin have failed to come good in every tournament they’ve competed in since their promising runners-up finish at the Malaysian Masters in Sibu in January.
Sze Fei took their latest defeat badly. But he’s not ready to throw in the towel.
“We didn’t play in the team event and suddenly it was all over after two matches in the individual event.
“We were not even properly ‘warmed up’. That was disappointing,” said Sze Fei.
“We have not performed for some time. We’re still not good enough. Maybe, we’re not doing enough in training.
“Our confidence is low. The way we played at SEA Games was very ordinary. We lacked sting in our attack and were too defensive. It’s time to change.”
Sze Fei hopes to give an improved performance at the Vietnam Open Grand Prix Gold in Ho Chi Minh, starting on Tuesday.
The national No. 4, seeded fifth in the Vietnam Open, are drawn in the lower half of the draw with second seeds Mohd Ahsan- Rian Agung Saputro of Indonesia, who did well to reach the final of the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, recently.
Seniors Low Juan Shen-Chooi Kah Ming are the top seeds and are in the top half with several other Malaysian pairs – Low Hang Yee- Tan Jinn Hwan, Lee Jian Yi-Lim Zhen Ting and Mohd Arif Abdul Latif-Jagdish Singh.
“Hopefully, there’ll be some positive results at the Vietnam Open to put us back on track,” said Sze Fei.
The other Malaysians competing in the Vietnam Open are Cheam June Wei, Lim Chi Wing, Chong Wei Feng, Chong Yee Han, Soo Teck Zhi, Liew Daren, Goh Giap Chin, Zulkiffli brothers Zulfadli and Zulhelmi (men’s singles); Ho Yen Mei, Lee Ying Ying and Yap Rui Chen (women singles); Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean, Soong Fie Cho-Tee Jing Yi (women’s doubles); and Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See, Chen Tang Jie-Tew Jia Jia and Hoo Pang RonPeck Yen Wei (mixed doubles).