TheStar KUALA LUMPUR: National doubles player Koo Kien Keat has never enjoyed a happy ending in an international team competition. The stocky player made his team debut in the Sudirman Cup in Holland two years ago but Malaysia failed to gain promotion to Division One after losing 2-3 to Hong Kong in the playoffs. In the Thomas Cup Finals in Jakarta last year, Kien Keat put up a heroic performance with Chew Choon Eng but failed to prevent Flandi Limpele-Eng Hian from delivering the winning point to sent Indonesia into the semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Malaysia. Having gained experience from the two outings, Kien Keat hopes for a better conclusion in his second Sudirman Cup outing in Beijing next week. The 20-year-old's ability to take up the challenge of playing the men's doubles and mixed doubles in the crunch ties will be crucial to Malaysia's chances of achieving their aim to go up to Division One of the world mixed team championship. Malaysia are in Group A of Division Two with Holland, Taiwan and Russia. Promotion to the top flight is decided in a playoff between the winners of the two-group division. Group B has Japan, Singapore, Germany and Ukraine. And it appears that national chief coach Yap Kim Hock has high expectations of Kien Keat in the competition, which begins on Tuesday. He paired up Kien Keat with former national number one singles player Wong Choong Hann for the men's doubles match in the friendly tie between the Beijing-bound squad and the national trainees at Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara yesterday. The scratch pair of Kien Keat-Choong Hann defeated veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah 15-11, 16-17, 15-5. Kien Keat also featured in the mixed doubles, partnering Wong Pei Tty. They lost 15-5, 13-15, 9-15 to the Project 2010-2012 boys' doubles pair of Goh Ying Jing-Chin Tze Siong. Kien Keat said that it was good for him to see how well he combined with Choong Hann. “We have never played together and there is a chance we will be called to play in Beijing,” said Kien Keat, who partnered Chan Chong Ming to win the Kedah Open two weeks ago. “I have more experience after having competed in two team competitions. I hope to be ready to partner any of the choice of the coach and try to win all matches. “I started badly in the last Sudirman Cup tie against Hong Kong. We (with Chin Eei Hui) lost the mixed doubles. I hope to do better this time.” In the friendly tie yesterday, Kuan Beng Hong came back from a game down to beat national number one Lee Chong Wei 15-4, 6-15, 7-15. Women's singles player Wong Mew Choo put up a fight against Choon Eng before bowing out 7-15, 8-15. Eei Hui-Pei Tty fell to the Project 2010-2012 boys' doubles pair of Razif Rahmand-Razif Latif 7-15, 8-15. The players have another session planned for them tomorrow before they leave for Beijing.
Hmmm a good start at least since the scratch pair of Kien Keat-Choong Hann defeated veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah 15-11, 16-17, 15-5.
