PETALING JAYA: It will be a fitting finale for Goh Liu Ying if she can go all the way to win the Malaysian Open with Chan Peng Soon but she knows that it will be a tall order.
Based on the draw, it will be tough for them to even clear the opening round of the home tournament at Axiata Arena from Jan 10-15.
The 33-year-old Liu Ying is not expecting much but she just wants to end her memorable career with Peng Soon where it all started for her.
“My first tournament with Peng Soon was at the Malaysian Open (in 2008). I was 18 then, young and excited to begin my new career ... now, 15 years has passed, and I’m just so lucky to get this final shot to bow out with Peng Soon at the same home meet,” said Liu Ying.
“It’s a big stage ... I just want to give one last good show.
“I’m glad that coach Chin Eei Hui will be on our side to guide us, it will be her last before she leaves for New Zealand (in February).’’
Independent shuttlers Liu Ying-Peng Soon have been drawn to play against reigning German Open winners and world No. 14 Rehan Naufal-Lisa Ayu of Indonesia. If they win, they meet the winners from an all-Malaysian match between Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.
The others in their half are second seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand, third seeds Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan and seventh seeds Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yu-jung of South Korea.
“The opening round against the Indonesians will be tricky. And if we proceed, I don’t think the other Malaysians are going to make it easy for us. It will be hard from the start.”
Peng Soon-Liu Ying have come close twice to winning at home but lost to Denmark’s Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen in the 2013 final and were beaten by Indonesians Tontowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir in a thrilling final at the 2016 edition.
“Looking back, we could have done better at the home tournament,” mulled Liu Ying.
But it was in 2016 that Peng Soon-Liu Ying achieved their greatest milestone - winning a silver in the Rio Olympic Games.
“There were other titles but standing on the podium with an Olympics silver will always be special,” she said.
“And leading our contingent at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the flagbearer was also meaningful - it felt as though I was standing on the Olympics podium all over again. Usually, male shuttlers get chosen.”
Liu Ying hopes there will be new mixed stars when she leaves the scene.
“A full-time mixed doubles programme only started much later (in 2008) ... Peng Soon and I were the pioneers under coach Jeremy Gan under BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) then. So mixed doubles is like my baby,” said Liu Ying.
“We will not go far in this department if we do not have quality women players but right now, I think that’s the problem.
“I believe we need more focus on developing mixed players from the lower level. Many prefer to focus on men or women’s doubles. Only those who don’t make it in these events get dumped into the mixed.
“I truly hope there will be more committed mixed pairs to carry on our legacy.”
While Liu Ying has some interesting plans up her sleeve which she will reveal after the Malaysian Open, Peng Soon will continue with his goal of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics Games with Cheah Yee See.
