Tuesday February 19, 2013
Time for Chooi and Ow to shine
High hopes: Malaysians Chooi Kah Ming and Ow Yao Han (front) are the top seeds for the Vienna Open. KUALA LUMPUR: Former world junior boys doubles champions Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han have not won any badminton titles since coming under the charge of Tan Kim Her but all that could change soon.
The promising shuttlers are slated to compete in the Austrian International Challenge starting tomorrow at Vienna and the German Open Grand Prix Gold in Mulheim from Feb 26-March 3.
The reigning national runners-up have a better chance to nick the title in Vienna as they are the top seeds.
National doubles chief coach Kim Her, however, would be contented if they score at least one upset win each in the Austria and German Open respectively.
“In the Austrian Open, they will probably face tough opponents – Bodin Isara-Pakkawat Vilailak of Thailand – in the quarter-finals. This match will be a tricky one as Bodin is a very experienced player,” said Kim Her.
The other Malaysian pair in the fray in Vienna are 2011 world junior champions Teo Eei Yi-Nelson Heg Wei Keat but they have a challenging path to final.
“Kah Ming-Yao Han have been showing marked progress and they did well in last year’s National Championships. Hopefully, they can pull off a good win.”
In the German Open, the duo have been drawn to play against fifth seeds Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov of Russia.
“I am not looking beyond the first round. The Russians are strong opponents and to me, a win against them will be a bonus,” said Kim Her.
Currently, Kah Ming-Yao Han are ranked 32nd in the world. Their fast progress as a pair is commendable – especially when Kah Ming was ruled out because of a knee injury for a year in 2011.
Five local pairs are ranked ahead of them: World No. 2 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong (9th), Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem (19th), Gan Teik Chai-Ong Soon Hock (22nd) and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif (23rd).
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