Farewell: Fans bring banners in honour of Vivian Hoo, who played in her last tournament at the Malaysian Open. - Faihan Ghani/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Doubles shuttler Vivian Hoo’s dream of a deep run in her swan song at the Malaysia Open was unfulfilled as she and her partner, Lim Chiew Sien, were eliminated in the second round.
Vivian and Chiew Sien put up a fierce fight against China's Tan Ning-Liu Shengshu, but the Olympic Games silver medalist proved too difficult to overcome.
After a hard fought match lasting 30 minutes, they were shown the exit, suffering a defeat with the final score 6-21, 5-21.
This defeat also marks Vivian’s final match as a professional badminton player, following her announcement to retire after more than 16 years on the international circuit.
It can be considered one of Vivian’s regrets in her career at the Malaysia Open, as since her debut in 2012, she has never reached the semi finals, even with her previous partners, Lim Yin Loo and Woon Khe Wei.
“It was our desire to perform well on home soil, but the best achievement we’ve had here has been reaching the quarter-finals," said Vivian
"Nonetheless, I still have sweet memories from my time in this tournament, especially when I was a young player alongside Khe Wei."
