Worries rise over Yew Sin and Ee Yi’s form ahead of Hangzhou mission

PETALING JAYA: Shuttlers Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi suffered a blow ahead of the Asian Games after shockingly going down in the men’s doubles first round of the Hong Kong Open.

The world No. 8 lost out 16-21, 23-25 to Japan’s world No. 27 Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Kowloon yesterday.

It was another setback for Yew Sin-Ee Yi, who had been struggling to find their feet since reaching the semi finals of the Taiwan Open in June.

The independent pair have only reached the last eight once since the Taiwan tourney – at the China Open – last week.

Yew Sin-Ee Yi’s form is a worry with the Asiad set to be held from Sept 23-Oct 8 in Hangzhou.

The duo have been selected for both the men’s team and individual events and need to find some solutions quickly to arrest their drop in form.

It also turned out to be a miserable day in the men’s doubles when two other pairs also suffered early defeats.

Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong, who were promoted from the qualifiers, went down fighting 21-18, 16-21, 12-21 to Taiwan’s Lee Fang-chih-Lee Fang-jen.

In the qualifying round, national pair Beh Chun Meng-Goh Boon Zhe lost 20-22, 14-21 to homesters Law Cheuk Him-Yeung Shing Choi but Chia Weijie-Liew Xun restored some hope by beating China’s Chen Xujun-Peng Jianqin 21-15, 21-10. Weijie-Liew Xun have a tough task next against Taiwan’s reigning Olympic champions Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin.

There was some joy though in the mixed doubles when recently crowned Indonesian Masters champions Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow continued their good form by making it into the main draw.

Roy King-Valeree beat home pair Shing Choi-Fan Ka Yan 21-16, 21-11 in the qualifying round to set up a meeting with England’s Gregory Mairs-Jenny Mairs.

Mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto wants the duo to keep up their good run after they had moved up eight rungs from No. 58 to No. 50 in the world rankings thanks to their success in Medan.

“It’s great to see Roy King and Valeree reach the main draw in their maiden World Tour Super 500 outing,” said Nova.

“This will only increase their confidence.

“They have an opportunity to go further if they play their best against the English pair.”In the women’s doubles, national No. 1 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah had to dig deep to overcome Germany’s Linda Efler-Isabel Lohau 21-10, 16-21, 21-14.

Pearly-Thinaah will play either teammates Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing or Taiwan’s Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tun next for a place in the quarter finals.

RESULTS

(Malaysians only)

Qualifying tournament

First round

Men’s singles: Leong Jun Hao bt Sheng Xiaodong (Can) 21-15, 22-20; Cheam June Wei bt Ricky Cheng (Aus) 21-13, 21-15.

Men’s doubles: Law Cheuk Him-Yeung Shing Choi (Hkg) bt Beh Chun Meng-Goh Boon Zhe 22-20, 21-14; Chia Weijie-Liew Xun bt Chen Xujun-Peng Jianqin (Chn) 21-15, 21-10.

Women’s singles: S. Kisona bt Lauren Lam (US) 23-21, 21-8.

Mixed doubles: Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow bt Yeung Shing Choi-Fan Ka Yan (Hkg) 21-16, 21-11.

Second round

Men’s singles: Leong Jun Hao bt Kiran George (Ind) 22-20, 14-21, 21-14; Kalle Koljonen (Fin) bt Cheam June Wei 8-21, 21-18, 21-18. Main draw

First round

Men’s doubles: Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi (Jpn) bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 21-16, 25-23; Lee Fang-chih-Lee Fang-jen (Tpe) bt Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong 18-21, 21-16, 21-12.

Women’s doubles: Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara (Jpn) bt Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien 21-14, 21-13; Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah bt Linda Efler-Isabel Lohau (Ger) 21-10, 16-21, 21-14.