Peng Soon gels well with Yee See to clinch Russian Open title

PETALING JAYA: Veteran Chan Peng Soon kept his word as he guided youngster Cheah Yee See to their first career title at the fifth-tier Russian Open badminton championships.

The 29-year-old Peng Soon teamed up with the 21-year-old Yee See in June after his Olympic silver medallist partner Goh Liu Ying was ruled out for the season following a shoulder injury.

In just their third tournament, Peng Soon-Yee See clinched a convincing 11-8, 13-11, 11-3 win over Japan’s Keiichiro Matsui-Akane Araki in the mixed doubles final in Vladivostok yesterday.

It was Peng Soon’s second Russian Open title, having emerged as champion with Liu Ying in 2015.

For Yee See, it was her biggest career win. She was the winner of the women’s doubles crown with Chin Kah Mun at the seventh-tier Hun­garian International in 2015.

World No. 152 Peng Soon-Yee See are set to climb at least 60 spots into the top 100 for the first time.

Peng Soon was pleased with their progress, especially Yee See’s performance under pressure.

“I’m happy that we won our first title together. I’m also pleased with Yee See’s level so far.

“We hope to keep this run going in our next tournament – the New Zealand Open (Aug 1-6) – before the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (Aug 19-30).

“Hopefully we’ll put up another good show in New Zealand,” said Peng Soon.

But there was no joy for men’s doubles pair Chooi Kah Ming-Low Juan Shen and women’s singles shuttler Soniia Cheah.

World No. 26 Kah Ming-Juan Shen found Russian world No. 11 and former All-England champions Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov too hot to handle as they lost 6-11, 9-11, 5-11.

Soniia failed to live up to her top billing, losing 9-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-5, 4-11 to second seed Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia.

Hosts Russia finished with the lion’s share of titles after Sergey Sirant edged compatriot Vladimir Malkov 13-11, 11-5, 6-11, 7-11, 11-4 for the men’s singles crown.