PETALING JAYA: The battle is on between young pairs Choong Hon Jian-Go Pei Kee and Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow to become the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) No. 2 mixed doubles pair.
Currently, Chen Tang Jie-Goh Ee Wei are way ahead as the No. 1 national pair as they are ranked No. 9 in the world and will be making their debuts in the Paris Olympics in July.
Hon Jian-Go Pei Kee are ranked 52nd in the world and six rungs below them are Roy King-Valeree.
In the hunt: Choong Hon Jian-Go Pei Kee and Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow (below) will play in the qualifying round of the Thailand Open.
Both pairs have a lot to do to narrow the gap but they are hungry to prove themselves in the Thailand Open starting today in Bangkok.
The Olympic-bound Tang Jie-Ee Wei are skipping the tourney just like several other top pairs to focus on their preparations for the showpiece event in Paris.
Hon Jian-Pei Kee and Roy King-Valeree will start from the qualifying round.
Pei Kee is looking forward to combining with Hon Jian again.
“It’s been a long time since Hon Jian and I played in tournaments together,” said Pei Kee.
She has been playing in the women’s doubles with Low Yeen Yuan while Hon Jian has been competing in the men’s doubles with Mohd Haikal Nazri.
“For now, I’m just trying to do my best in every match. I’m trying to improve myself both in training and tournaments.”
Meanwhile, independent pair and newlyweds Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie will also be in action in Bangkok and will meet homesters Ruttanapak Oupthong-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat in the first round.
In the men’s singles, world No. 10 Lee Zii Jia will open his campaign against China’s Lei Lanxi while Leong Jun Hao will face Taiwan’s Su Li-yang. Jacky Kok and Ong Zhen Yi will start from the qualifying rounds.
Other Malaysian representatives are Hon Jian-Haikal, Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi, Chia Weijie-Liew Xun, Beh Chun Meng-Goh Boon Zhe, independent pairs Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, Goh V Shen-Boon Xin Yuan, Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong (men’s doubles), and K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching and S. Kisona (women’s singles).
