KUALA LUMPUR: Top mixed doubles shuttlers Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying got it right at the third time of asking.
They’ve lost to world No. 10 Praveen Jordan-Debby Susanto of Indonesia on two occasions – in the second round of last year’s Malaysian Open and the gold medal battle at the SEA Games in Singapore in June.
But Peng Soon-Liu Ying were in no mood to be beaten for the third time as they dumped the second-seeded Indonesians 21-16, 21-12 to reach the quarter-finals of the Vietnam Open Grand Prix in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday.
World No. 19 Peng Soon-Liu Ying will take on sixth seeds Andrei Adistia-Vita Marissa of Indonesia next.
Liu Ying said that their first-ever win over Praveen-Debby, the recent World Championships quarter-finalists, has given them a huge lift.
“We came quite prepared to face them but they were not at their best. We capitalised on that,” said Liu Ying.
“Our next opponents will be tough too. Vita is the more experienced one ... we cannot let our guard down.”
Peng Soon hopes that “we can now sustain our rhythm”.
“Overall, we played well and worked hard for most part of the match. Hopefully, Liu Ying and I will be able to keep the good chemistry going and beat our next opponents.”
There was good news in the men’s singles and doubles events as well when Chong Wei Feng and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong marched into the quarter-finals in contrasting styles.
Wei Feng had to dig deep into his reserves to upset seventh seed Nguyen Tien Ming of Vietnam 21-15, 10-21, 21-14 to set up a clash against Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto. It was Wei Feng’s second win in five meetings.
Professional shuttlers Kien Keat-Boon Heong will face off against Indonesian youngsters Gideon Markus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo after edging out Lin Chia-yu-Wu Hsiao-wu of Taiwan 25-23, 21-16.
Malaysia’s challenge in the women’s singles and doubles came to an end. Tee Jing Yi lost to Thailand’s Porntip Buranaprasertsuk 16-21, 13-21.
