Tan Kian Meng and Goh Liu Ying
PETALING JAYA: National mixed doubles shuttler Goh Liu Ying is satisfied with her first competitive action with new partner Low Juan Shen but admitted that they needed more time to gel.
Independent pair Liu Ying-Juan Shen reached the quarter-finals of the Vietnam Open in Ho Chi Minh before losing to second seeds Zachariah Sumanti-Hediana Julimarbela of Indonesia 18-21, 9-21.
“Overall, I’m quite happy that we reached the quarter-finals as Juan Shen has never played in mixed doubles before this tournament but we need to practise more together after this to get better,” said Liu Ying.
“Both of us are front-court players and this is an issue. We need to resolve this as both of us tend to go to the front to return the shuttle. We need more time to work on this.”
The 33-year-old and Juan Shen have yet to decide on their next competition together but her focus now is the Senheng RedOne Purple League.
Yesterday, representing Puchong United BC, Liu Ying combined with Tan Kian Meng to beat Serdang BC’s Mohd Nuraidil Azman-Lim Chiew Sien 6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9.
“We lost the first game as we had to take time to get used to playing with each other and I also had to rush back from Vietnam to make it on time for this competition,” said Liu Ying.
“But after that, it was better as we managed to combine well and win.”
Puchong went on to beat their opponents 14-6 in their opening group match.
Their men’s singles player Lim Chi Wing had given his team a good start when he beat Too Ming Yap 10-11, 11-8, 11-2,11-8 but Serdang’s Thet Thuzar of Myanmar served a stunner when she stunned Soniia Cheah 11-9, 8-11, 11-10, 3-11, 11-6.
In the men’s doubles, Puchong’s Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi got their team back on track with a 11-7, 11-3, 5-11, 11-6 win over Boon Xin Yuan-Wong Tien Ci.
Then, Kian Meng-Liu Ying gave the team the upper hand and Liew Daren sealed the tie with a 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 victory over Choo Kai Qing in the final men’s singles match.
