Duo on a mission: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani will be defending their China Open title in the tourney starting today in Changzhou.
PETALING JAYA: Independent men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani can train under coach Herry Iman Pierngadi through a win-win arrangement with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
If both sides are agreeable, pros Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who are currently under the Road to Gold (RTG) Olympic programme, can work with BAM to arrange scheduled joint training sessions under Herry.
BAM secretary-general Kenny Goh said that the national body had always been open for professionals to train at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) on a scheduled basis.
“We have no problems to accept them to train with us, perhaps on a scheduled basis. At the moment, there isn’t any request from them,” said Kenny.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who left BAM at the end of August last year to turn independent, seemed interested to return to the national fold a few months ago but they did not follow through.
The possibility may have been more attractive for the duo due to the presence of Herry, who replaced Tan Bin Shen as the men’s doubles head coach in February.
The legendary Indonesian has already made his mark, guiding Aaron-Wooi Yik to the Asian Championships, Singapore Open and Thailand Open titles and helped Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun triumph in the Malaysian Masters.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin also had praised Herry’s coaching after taking part in joint training sessions in the lead-up to the Sudirman Cup in April.
After a dip in form, the pair seem to have regained some of their best performances in the Japan Open where they finished runners-up to South Korea’s Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho in Tokyo on Sunday.
It was Sze Fei-Izzuddin’s first final since capturing the Indian Open in January.
The pair are next attempting to defend their China Open title in the tourney starting today in Changzhou.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin have a tricky opening match against South Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk-Ki Dong-ju.
Meanwhile, Aaron-Wooi Yik will face Denmark’s Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard in the first round and will be out to make amends after a shock opening round exit at the hands of fellow Malaysians Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi in Japan.
The other Malaysians in the fray in the men’s doubles are Wei Chong-Kai Wun, Yew Sin-Ee Yi, Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi, Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian.
