DYNAMIC DUO: Keat Kean (left) and Boon Heong in action yesterday

KUALA LUMPUR: It was starting to look like a miserable outing for the national shuttlers in the Malaysian Open at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

But the gritty performances by men’s doubles pairs Koo Kean Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How-Ong Soon Hock brought smiles all round.

While top doubles pair Kean Keat-Boon Heong fashioned a 21-14, 21-17 victory over Indonesians Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki-Rian Sukmawan, Thien How-Soon Hock sealed the night on a high after nailing Korean Open champions Jung Jae-sung- Lee Yong-dae 14-21, 21-4, 21-18 in a match that stretched past midnight.

“Our strategies worked and this is a really good start for us. It’s never easy playing a champion pair.

“Our best result in the Super Series was the semifinals at the Indonesian and Taiwan Open in 2007. Now we plan to be part of the Thomas Cup squad and hope for better things to come this year,” said an elated Soon Hock.

The brilliant comeback and the form displayed by Thien How-Soon Hock could give them another win against Japan's Kenichi Hayakawa-Kenta Kazuno in the second round match tonight (9.10pm).

Kean Keat-Boon Heong, meanwhile, are drawn against Sun Junjie-Tao Jiaming of China in another second round match at 9.00pm.

“We beat the Chinese pair at the Denmark Open (last year) but we still need to be on alert. A lot will depend on our form for the day,” said Kean Keat.

As for the opening match against the Indonesians, Kean Keat said: “We are satisfied with our performance as this is a first round match. We always give our best and will continue to do the same in our coming matches.”

Chong Wei Fong joins world No 1 Lee Chong Wei in the men’s singles event after Hafiz Hashim and Wong Choong Hann suffered premature defeats against Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu Hsing (21- 19, 15-21, 21-14) and Wacha Przemyslaw (20-22, 21-14, 21-11) of Poland respectively.

Wei Fong plays India’s Chetan Anand while Chong Wei will take on Du Pengyu today. Wong Mew Choo is the only player left to carry Malaysia's singles challenge in the Women's category.

Mixed doubles pair Tan Wee Kiong-Woon Khe Wei kept their quarterfinal hopes alive. They play the scratch combination of Flandy Limpele-Chen Wen Hsing.

In women's doubles, Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui should have little problems when they face compatriots Vivian Hoo Kah Mun-Woon Khe Wei.