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Kien Keat-Boon Heong display their power


KOO Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong displayed an awesome show of power to nail the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold men’s doubles title yesterday.

But to national doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky, the duo’s overall performances in the tournament could have been better.

Yesterday, Kien Keat-Boon Heong blew away former national players and sparring partners Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen with a 21-11, 21-13 win in just 21 minutes. It was their easiest win in the tournament.

But in their two previous matches in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the duo dropped the second game en route to beating China’s Sun Junjie-Tao Jiaming and Indonesians Alven Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan respectively.

Rexy said that he would have to work on Kien Keat’s and Boon Heong’s lack of focus in a match.

“They have done well to win the title but they have the tendency to lose focus in a match,” said Rexy.

“They usually win the first game but drop the second. This allows their opponents to build confidence and momentum to make it even tougher for them. They should not be making life difficult for themselves.

“We have identified the area of their weaknesses and we will build from there.”

Boon Heong said that the win even though it was in a weakened field had given them a timely boost ahead of the World Championships in India in August.

“We have beaten a pair, whom we are so used to playing today. Winning the title easily is still a good boost to our morale,” he said.

It was the second title of the year for Kien Keat-Boon Heong after the Swiss Open in March.

“The intensity of the training will be tougher after this. Kien Keat and I will be prepared for the world championships,” said Boon Heong.

“Kien Keat has won a medal before but I have yet to get one. It will be my second outing in the championships and I hope to get among the medallists.”

Kien Keat has two bronze medals to show from the world championships — in a mixed doubles partnership with Wong Pei Tty in 2006 and with Chan Chong Ming in the men’s doubles in 2005.

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