KUALA LUMPUR: Former world junior boys’ doubles champions Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han have a chance to show that they are ready to step up to the big league when they face top seeds Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang in the Korean Open GP Gold in Jeonnam today.
If they can overcome the world No. 6 Koreans, Kah Ming-Yao Han can be assured of moving up the rankings and making them the country’s third pair after Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong.
Kah Ming-Yao Han are now ranked 50th in the world.
Yesterday, Kah Ming-Yao Han defeated Kim Ki-seob-Na Jae-yeob of South Korea 17-21, 21-10, 21-10 to reach the quarter-finals while Asian champions Ki-jung-Sa-rang ousted Malaysians Mohd Razif Abdul Latif-Jagdish Singh 21-10, 21-13.
National chief coach Tan Kim Her is pleased with Kah Ming-Yao Han’s steady rise and has challenged them to take on the Koreans without any fear.
“It won’t be easy against the Koreans. This is a good opportunity for them to know where they stand against top players. All I want is for them to play without showing fear,” said Kim Her.
“They have done considerably well this year, especially in several other GP Gold events. We’ve been focusing quite a bit on the world juniors this year. The time has arrived to take Kah Ming-Yao Han to another level.”
The duo reached the final of the Malaysian Open GP Gold and semi-finals of the Taiwan Open GP Gold. On the local scene, the duo did well to stun Kien Keat- Boon Heong in the quarter-finals of the Pahang Open in October.
Malaysia will also have back-up pair Goh V Shem-Ong Jian Guo in the quarter-finals of the GP Gold today and they stand a better chance of making the top four when they take on Lin Yen-jui-Lu Chia-bin of Taiwan.
Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s singles was reduced to only one when Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin failed to join top seed Mohd Arif Abdul Latif in the quarter-finals.
Iskandar lost 18-21, 14-21 to Indonesia’s Riyanto Subagja.
Arif, who is hoping to win his first GP Gold title, will face unseeded Yim Jong-woo of South Korea in the last eight.
World No. 80 Sonia Cheah kept the Malaysian flag flying high when she made it to the women’s singles quarter-finals, where she faces a tricky challenge against Japan’s Miki Takagi.
Results
(Matches involving Malaysians only)
Third round
Men’s singles: Mohd Arif Abdul Latif bt Park Sung-min (Kor) 21-19, 21-16; Riyanto Subagja (Ina) bt Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin 21-18, 21-14.
Men’s doubles: Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han bt Kim Ki-seob- Na Jae-yeob (Kor) 17-21, 21-10, 21-10; Goh V Shem-Ong Jian Guo bt Kwon Youn-bae-To Sung-han (Kor) 21-12, 19-21, 21-15; Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor) bt Mohd Razif Abdul Latif-Jagdish Singh 21-10, 21-13;
Women’s singles: Sonia Cheah Su Ya bt Lim Eun-ha (Kor) 21-4, 21-6; Aprilla Yuswandari (Ina) bt Yang Li Lian 21-14, 21-14
Women’s doubles: A Ra-ko-Hae Won-yoo (Kor) bt Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean 21-9, 21-15.
