Fringe players have a long way to go

Submitted by Zam on Monday, January 25th, 2010

Haresh Deol

Monday, January 25th, 2010 12:23:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Judging by the just concluded Malaysian Open, the local badminton scene is still struggling to find the right footing. There weren’t many surprises in this year’s edition which ended at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

World No 1 Lee Chong Wei lived up to expectations as he brushed aside Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana 21-13, 21-7. This was Chong Wei’s sixth Malaysian Open title and second Super Series win of the year after clinching the Korean Open a week earlier.

Men’s doubles pair Koo Kean Keat-Tan Boon Heong too showed that they are not "have beens" when they defeated China’s Guo Zhendong-Xu Chen 21-15, 17-21, 21-16 to regain the title they last won in 2007.

Doubles pair Hoon Thien How- Ong Soon Hock surprised by beating Korean Open champions Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae (14-21, 21-4, 21-18) in the curtain raiser last Wednesday despite talks of the Koreans not being at their best.

However, the pair could not maintain their form and were defeated by Japan's Kenichi Hayakawa-Kenta Kazuno 23-21, 19-21, 21-18 in the second round.

Youngster Chan Kwong Beng raised eyebrows by qualifying for the main draw but lost 19-21, 16-21 to India’s Chetan Anand in the first round.

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