Slow and steady: Ong Yew Sin (below) and Teo Ee Yi have yet to end their title drought this year.
PETALING JAYA: National men’s doubles pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi blew a good opportunity to reach their first semi-final since January when they were stunned by South Korea’s Choi Sol-gyu-Kim Won-ho in the last eight of the Japan Open at the Maruzen Intec Arena in Osaka.
World No. 9 Yew Sin-Ee Yi started off on the right foot yesterday when they won the first game 21-17 against the Korean world No. 34 but failed to capitalise on their advantage and lost their next two games 17-21, 13-21.
This was the independent pair’s fifth defeat in the quarter-final stage of tournaments this year.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi had only got past the last eight once this year when they reached the semi-finals of the Indian Open in January before bowing out to Indonesian veterans Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan.
They had failed to go beyond the quarter-finals of the German Open, Swiss Open, Korean Open and Malaysian Open before the disappointing exit in Osaka.
Unbeatable rivals: Hoo Pang Ron (back) and Toh Ee Wei lost 10-21, 13-21 to newly crowned world champions Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong.
In the mixed doubles, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Hoo Pang Ron-Toh Ee Wei also exited the tournament after both pairs went down to Chinese combinations, bringing Malaysia’s challenge to a shuddering halt.
Pang Ron-Ee Wei lost 10-21, 13-21 to newly crowned world champions Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong while Kian Meng-Pei Jing fell 16-21, 15-21 to reigning Olympic champions Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping.
Ee Wei admitted that she and Pang Ron tried their very best but could do little to stop the formidable world No. 2 pair.
“I think we have already given our best. Siwei-Yaqiong played with great confidence as they have won many titles this year,” conceded Ee Wei.
The Chinese pair are currently the most in-form combination in the world having astonishingly captured eight titles in a row.
The Malaysians were only paired in June and Ee Wei acknowledged that they needed time to progress further.
“I think we need to improve on many aspects. We are working hard but it will take some time for us to reach a higher level,” said Ee Wei.
RESULTS
(Malaysians only)
Quarter-finals
Men’s doubles: Choi Sol-gyu-Kim Won-ho (Kor) bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 17-21, 21-17, 21-13.
Mixed doubles: Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong (Chn) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Toh Ee Wei 21-10, 21-13; Huang Dongping-Wang Yilyu (Chn) bt Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing 21-16, 21-15.
