Badminton: Rexy breaks up two combinations after dismal results

KUALA LUMPUR: Doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky has decided to split the two-year partnerships of two combinations – Mohd Zakry Latif-Gan Teik Chai and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui. 

Southpaw Teik Chai will now partner right-handed Woon Fui while Zakry and Fairuzizuan, who are both right-handers, will forge the other new combination. Both pairs will feature in the Singapore and Indonesian Opens in May. 

Rexy said that the results of Zakry-Teik Chai and Fairuzizuan-Woon Fui in the last four tournaments were unimpressive compared to the others and they also did not have a single international Open title to their names. 

“I review the performances of the players every four months. Their results were not that good and I have decided that they will get different partners,” he said. 

“They will be put to tests at the Singapore and Indonesian Opens and I will take it from there. They will not be playing in the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) next month and now is a good time for them to work on strengthening their new partnerships.” 

The national players resumed training yesterday after a one-week break and the two new pairs were at work in Bukit Jalil. 

New partner, new hope: (from left) Mohd Zakry Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Lin Woon Fui-Gan Teik Chai trying out their partnerships in a training session on Tuesday.

Splitting the Zakry-Teik Chai and Fairuzizuan-Woon Fui partnerships will not affect the chances of the new pairs’ participation in the Super Series tournaments. 

“Their world ranking points are quite good and even with new partners they will still get to play in the main draw of 32,” said Rexy. 

Veterans Lee Wan Wah-Choong Tan Fook are still the highest ranked pair at No 7 in the world rankings while All-England champions Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong have closed in at No 10. 

Zakry-Teik Chai and Fairuzizuan-Woon Fui were ranked at 13th and 19th respectively.  

Last year, Fairuzizuan-Woon Fui were the semi-finalists in the All-England and also emerged as the champions in the National Grand Prix Final. They came closest to winning an international title at the World Cup in China, losing to Indonesians Markis Kidho-Hendra Setiawan in the final.  

The pair also featured behind Kien Keat-Boon Heong as the second entry for the men’s doubles competition at the Doha Asian Games last December and were eliminated in the quarter-finals. 

Zakry-Teik Chai were also semi-finalists in the All-England last year but have since faded on the international scene. They were beaten in the second round at the All-England and crashed out in the first round in the Malaysian, Korean and Swiss Opens this year. 

 

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