KUALA LUMPUR: After a three-year absence from the Asian Championships, mixed doubles shuttler Hoo Pang Ron is thrilled to make his return and hopes to go far in the tournament.
Pang Ron and his partner Cheng Su Yin will be among four Malaysian mixed doubles pairs competing in Ningbo from April 8-13. They will be joined by Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien, and Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow.
Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, who were set to be the tournament’s fourth seeds, have withdrawn from the competition.
Pang Ron-Su Yin’s first challenge will be against India’s Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto.
Based on their last encounter, the Malaysians should have the upper hand, having recently defeated the Indian duo at the Indonesian Masters in January.
A victory would be a confidence booster for Pang Ron, who last played in the tournament three years ago in the Philippines with then partner Cheah Yee See. That campaign ended in disappointment as they were knocked out in the first round by China’s Feng Yanzhe-Ling Fanling.
“I’m really happy because qualifying for this tournament is an achievement for us and I hope we can give our best.
“We train every day to minimise our mistakes while strengthening our game so that we can perform better in every match,” said Pang Ron.
Pang Ron-Su Yin are working on ironing out their weaknesses ahead of the Asian Championships in Ningbo, following a less-than-convincing run in their recent European tournaments.
Their campaign in Germany ended in the second round while hopes for a better result at the Orleans Masters were dashed when they had to withdraw from the quarter-finals due to an unfortunate injury suffered by Su Yin, who fell while descending a staircase.
At the prestigious All-England, they bowed out in the first round after losing to South Korea’s Ki Dong-ju-Jeong Nau-eun.
Taking lessons from these setbacks, the world No. 14 pair are determined to stay composed, especially Su Yin, who will be making her debut at the Asian Championships.
“I feel happy and excited. I hope to play my best and get a good result. No pressure,” said Su Yin.
“If we face higher ranked opponents, we’ll just go out there and give our best.’’
