Win to savour: Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing acknowledging the cheers.
ONE pair is hungry to reach the semi-finals for the first time while the other is just happy to finally clear the early rounds after countless failed attempts.
Yesterday, independent shuttlers Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing made it a great day for Malaysia when they checked into the mixed doubles quarter-finals after contrasting wins in the World Championships at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Malaysia never had two quarter-finalists in the mixed doubles since the tournament’s inception in 1977 and in fact, the only time Malaysia had won a medal was through Koo Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty at the 2006 edition.
Soon Huat-Shevon certainly hope to end the long wait for a medal after stunning world No. 9 Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue of France 21-16, 21-4 in the third round. The win came easier this time though as Delrue had picked up an injury in the second game.
Still, the win was sweet revenge for Soon Huat and Shevon who had lost their last two encounters against Gicquel-Delrue in last year’s Swiss Open and World Tour Finals.The Malaysians are now eyeing their first medal in the world meet after narrowly missing out in the last edition in Huelva, Spain, when they lost to eventual champions Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand in the quarter-finals.
“We really want to reach the semi-finals this time and at least get a medal. We have to prepare well for the next match and most importantly, believe in ourselves,” said Shevon.Soon Huat is also in buoyant mood.
“We are very happy and satisfied with our performance. We did well by remaining patient and consistent throughout the game,” said Soon Huat.On facing Watanabe-Higashino, Soon Huat said: “We need to be ready to counter Watanabe’s favourite drop shot. Overall, we have nothing to lose in this match and will fight hard to try to get our first medal.”
The Malaysians will need to be at their very best against the Japanese after losing to them in the Thailand Open in May and also in the 2019 All-England.
Soon Huat-Shevon, though will draw hope from Watanabe-Higashino’s poor form of late with the duo suffering first-round and quarter-final exits in last month’s Malaysian Open and Masters respectively.
For Kian Meng-Pei Jing, they were just happy to get the monkey off their back.
They have finally made it through to the last eight for the first time in their fifth world meet as a pair after a convincing 21-12, 21-14 win over home pair Kyohei Yamashita-Naru Shinoya.
For Pei Jing, this will be her first quarter-final appearance in eight attempts as she had failed to reach this stage with previous partner Tan Aik Quan in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 editions.
World No. 11 Kian Meng-Pei Jing, though, have a tough task next against China’s world No. 2 and favourites Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong.
In the biggest upset of the day, top seeds Puavaranukroh-Taerattanachai saw their title defence come to a disappointing end after they were stunned by Germany’s world No. 12 Mark Lamsfuss-Isabel Lohau 16-21, 14-21.
