V Shem and Wee Kiong to have different partners for French Open

PETALING JAYA: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have entered Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong with different partners for the French Open.

V Shem has been paired with Teo Ee Yi and Wee Kiong with Ong Yew Sin for the Paris tournament from Oct 24-29.

Ee Yi-Yew Sin are the country’s second-ranked pair and did well at the recent Korean Open, where they gave second seeds and All-England champions Marcus Fernal­di Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia a huge scare before losing 16-21, 20-22 in the second round on Thursday.

The names of the two scratch pairs were in the entry list released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Friday.

“This is a temporary measure,” said national doubles head coach Cheah Soon Kit as he awaits official confirmation of the Rio Olympic Games silver medal winners V Shem and Wee Kiong’s split.

BAM had to submit the names for the French Open before the closing date for the tournament on Sept 12.

V Shem and Wee Kiong’s parting of ways is not unexpected.

V Shem had declared last week that he had given up on their partnership while Wee Kiong travelled to Vietnam to hold discussions with Soon Kit about his new partner.

Then BAM technical director Morten Frost confirmed that they were looking at splitting up V Shem-Wee Kiong following their below par performances throughout this year.

Frost and Soon Kit were also asked by BAM president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria to review V Shem-Wee Kiong’s partnership.