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Yao Han-Wee Kiong slay Olympic champions

PETALING JAYA: The scratch pair of Ow Yao Han-Tan Wee Kiong stole the limelight after playing like men possessed to stun reigning Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the second round of the Indonesian Open GP Gold in East Kalimantan yesterday.

Yao Han-Wee Kiong, who had to get through the qualifiers, blew away the second seeds 21-17, 21-13 in just 27 minutes.

This result, coming a day after Liew Daren had sent sixth seed Simon Santoso packing in the first round of the men’s singles , is a strong message that Malaysia can still be a force to be reckoned with in the Jakarta SEA Games.

Yao Han-Wee Kiong’s impressive win and their ability to strike up a good understanding could now leave national doubles head coach Tan Kim Her with a selection headache.

Splendid surprise: Ow Yao Han (above) and Tan Wee Kiong stunned Markis Kido- Hendra Setiawan 21-17, 21-13 in the second round yesterday.
 
Yao Han’s regular partner Chooi Kah Ming will be out for the next few months with an injury while Wee Kiong is due to partner Hoon Thien How. This could be Yao Han-Wee Kiong’s last tournament as a pair.
Earlier this month, Yao Han-Wee Kiong also reached the quarter-finals of the Taiwan Open, where they managed to stretch another top Indonesian pair – Alven Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan – to three games before bowing out.

“I got off the phone with Rosman (Razak) and he told me that Yao Han-Wee Kiong played exceptionally well and controlled the entire match,” said Kim Her.

“I’m also impressed with Yao Han as he is the one player in the doubles squad who has improved the most.
“This could be their last tournament together and hopefully that performance against the Olympic champions will give them the extra confidence and motivation to go far in the competition.”

Yao Han-Wee Kiong are the sole survivors in the doubles event after KLRC’s Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen failed to make the grade.

The Malaysians will take on another local pair, Yohannes Rendy Sugiarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan, in the quarter-finals today.

Meanwhile, it was a sad end for Daren after he was forced to retire against Misbun Ramdan Misbun while trailing 21-23, 10-16 in their second round match yesterday.

Misbun went on to beat Singapore’s Robin Gonansa in the third round to qualify for his first ever quarter-final appearance in an Open tournament.

He will face Indonesia’s Alamsyah Yunus for a place in the semi-finals.

Chan Kwong Beng made it double joy for the singles camp when he beat two Indonesians to join Misbun in the quarter-finals.

Chong Wei Feng failed to join them after falling to second seed Taufik Hidayat 17-21, 16-21 in the third round.

In women’s doubles, the much-improved Woon Khe Wei-Vivian Hoo also made their fourth quarter-final appearance of the year when they overcame Shella Devi Aulia-Anggia Shitta Awanda 16-21, 21-9, 21-14.



THE STAR

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