From Russia with love

In fine fettle: Ho Yen Mei proved that she has fully recovered from her injury by winning the Russian Open title yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Ho Yen Mei (pic) capped a wonderful and stunning campaign at the Russian Open by lifting the women’s singles title in Vladivostok.

The unseeded Yen Mei, who is playing her first competition since January after recovering from injuries, put up a gritty performance to overcome Shiori Ebihara of Japan 22-20, 11-21, 21-18 in the final yesterday.

Yen Mei looked to have lost it when she trailed 12-17 in the deciding game but she gave her all to come back and seal victory. It was her first international title since she won the Polish Open in 2015.

Women’s singles coach Tey Seu Bock praised the 22-year-old Yen Mei, who is ranked 157th in the world, for her brave-hearted display after coming back from her long lay-off.

Yen Mei beat top seed Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia, the world No. 27, 21-11, 21-14 in the first round.

She also beat fourth seed Yvonne Li of Germany 21-17, 21-15 on Saturday to reach the final.

Said Seu Bock of Yen Mei’s performance: “She managed to get a good start within a short time despite her injury problems.

“I hope this success will increase her confidence and help her regain the form she had before the injury. It’s also important for her to play without feeling pressured.

“I also hope she can be consistent. She will be okay if she can produce in competition the same commitment she show in training.”

Former national shuttlers Mohd Arif Abdul Latif-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub picked up the men’s doubles title without lifting their racquets after Russian opponents and second seeds Konstantin Abramov-Alexandr Zinchenko conceded a walkover.

However, national No. 1 women’s doubles pair Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean failed in their bid to hand Malaysia a third title.

The Nanjing-bound World Championships pairing lost 11-21, 18-21 to Japan’s Chisato Hoshi-Kie Nakahishi in the final.

RESULTS (All finals)
Men’s singles: Sourabh Verma (Ind) bt Koki Watanabe (Jpn) 18-21, 21-12, 21-17.
Men’s doubles: Mohd Arif Abdul Latif-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub (Mas) bt Konstantin Abramov-Alexandr Zinchenko (Rus) walkover.
Women’s singles: Ho Yen Mei (Mas) bt Shiori Ebihara (Jpn) 22-20, 11-21, 21-18.
Women’s doubles: Chisato Hoshi-Kie Nakahishi (Jpn) bt Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean (Mas) 21-11, 21-18.
Mixed doubles: Vladimir Ivanov-Kim Min-kyung (Rus-Kor) bt Rohan Kapoor-Garg Kuhoo (Ind) 21-19, 21-17.