Kok Siang wants to settle down

KUALA LUMPUR: Former world junior champion Teo Kok Siang hopes his misery of not having a regular partner will be settled for good after his success at the Kuala Lumpur Open. 

On Sunday, the 23-year-old Kok Siang and scratch partner Ow Yao Han put up a solid performance to beat Chooi Kah Ming-Teo Ee Yi 21-19, 21-13 in just 27 minutes to win the men’s doubles title in the KL Open at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton (KLBA) Stadium.

Kok Siang, who won the world junior title with Mak Hee Chun in 2008, is one of the players considered as a partner for Goh V Shem. The other candidate is Ee Yi.

Reigning Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold winners V Shem and Lim Khim Wah are now the country’s third pair but the duo have decided to go separate ways. 

National coaches Paulus Firman and Pang Cheh Chang will decide this week on the new line-ups.

Kok Siang said he hoped to have a permanent partner. 

“I have partnered so many players. In fact, I was V Shem’s partner for one year and we were ranked world No. 21 at one stage,” said Kok Siang. 

“That partnership was split up when I suffered a knee injury and I had to go for surgery. I was out of competition for almost six months (in 2011). My condition is much better now.

“I will leave it to the coaches to make the decision but my only hope is that my partnership will survive for a long time,” added Kok Siang.
Meanwhile, there were upsets in all the other doubles events. 

In Division One, mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Lai Pe Jing and the women’s doubles combination of Lee Meng Yean-Lim Yin Loo beat the top seeds to emerge champions.

Cheah Yee See-Norshahida Baharum and Chua Keh Yeap-Chin Kah Mun also stunned the top seeds in the girls’ doubles and mixed doubles in Division Two.