Cool cats Peng SoonLiu Ying not sweating over opponents in Guangzhou
PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying have been handed a tough draw in the World Tour Finals starting in Guangzhou tomorrow – but the Malaysians are cool about it.
The world No. 6 have been drawn in Group of Death with world No. 2 Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping of China; world No. 3 and All-England champions Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan; and world No. 12 Hafiz Faizal-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja of Indonesia in Group D.
The other Malaysian qualifiers Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are in Group A with world No. 1 and reigning world champions Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong of China, world No. 7 Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand and England’s Marcus Ellis-Lauren Smith.
Peng Soon said the draw was not as intimidating as it suggested – considering they have never lost to either Yilyu-Dongping or WatanabeHigashino in their last meetings. They have beaten the Chinese rivals twice and defeated the Japanese three times.
“It’s definitely a difficult group but the tough draw is understandable,” said Peng Soon.
“Our target is to reach the semi-finals, we’ll try to achieve that first.”
It will be Peng Soon-Liu Ying’s third appearance in the season finale. They reached the semi-finals in the 2013 World Superseries Finals in Kuala Lumpur but failed to clear the group stage in the 2012 edition in Shenzhen, China.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying are also in a confident mood after pocketing a share of a 2mil yuan (RM1.2mil) windfall following their club Henan Jian Zhi Yu’s victory in the just-concluded Badminton Asia Elite Tour in Zhengzhou, China.
They beat Liliyana Natsir-Terry Hee to claim the winning point for their club’s 2-0 win over Henan Xinyu after Son Wan-ho gave them a flying start in the men’s singles tie against Chong Wei Feng.
The other Malaysians in the winning side of the 10 city-based club competition were Liew Daren, Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong.
Meanwhile, debutants Soon Huat-Shevon will have to reproduce the form that won them the Singapore Open in July if they want to reach the last four.
The world No. 11 failed to get past the last 16 in their last three outings and have poor record against all their Group A opponents – having lost in their previous clashes.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying and Soon Huat-Shevon are assured of US$10,500 (RM44,000) by qualifying for the Finals but if they win, they will get to take back home US$126,000 (RM527,000).
Malaysia have produced winners in all but the mixed doubles event, with Lee Chong Wei as the most successful shuttler having won the singles title four times.
Women’s doubles pair Chin Ee Hui-Wong Pei Tty have won it twice, Wong Mew Choo won the women’s singles crown in 2009. In the men’s doubles, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong first triumphed in 2008 and their feat was matched in 2016 by V Shem-Wee Kiong.