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Kien Keat and Boon Heong not good thinkers, says Cheh Chang

PETALING JAYA: The problem with doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong is that they are not very good thinkers on court. That is the harsh indictment of the coach the duo chose over Rexy Mainaky.
It has taken only a month for Pang Cheh Chang to discover that what ails Kien Keat and Boon Heong is their speed of thought – the lack of it.

The world No. 5 pair opted for Cheh Chang after an underwhelming performance in the World Championships back in August. They duly expressed their dissatisfaction with Rexy and demanded a change in coach.

The BA of Malaysia (BAM) acceded and the nation’s top doubles pair were seemingly on their way back after fighting performances in the China Masters and Japan Open in Septem­ber.
But last month, they were once again back to their worst when they crashed to early defeats in the Denmark and French Opens after struggling against lower ranked opponents.

It even prompted South Korean head coach Sung Han-kook to pronouce that Kien Keat-Boon Heong were mentally weak after their uninspiring first round loss to third ranked Korean pair Kwon Yi-goo-Cho Gun-woo in the first round at Copenhagen.

“The doubles game nowadays is more technical and very much strategy based. It is something Kien Keat-Boon Heong have yet to comprehend,” said Cheh Chang, who is trying his utmost to revive the pair’s game and fortunes.


“The Korean and Chinese pairs have moved up a level and have a very good combination of defence and attacking play.

“The European pairs may not have the best attacking game, but they are stronger and smarter when it comes to strategies on court.

“Kien Keat-Boon Heong, on the other hand, are still playing their own game and being left behind. It allows their opponents to set a trap and easily expose them on the counter,” said Cheh Chang.

“I’m trying to get them to understand their weakness and help them develop new ideas on court. Hopefully, they’ll start to think, add a new element to their game and make it less predictable.”

Given their recent poor form, Cheh Chang has decided to wait a little longer before deciding whether to enter Kien Keat-Boon Heong for the Hong Kong and China Opens later this month.

Meanwhile, South Korean coach Yoo Yong-sung has signed a two-year contract with the BAM and will report to head doubles coach Tan Kim Her today.

He will assist Cheh Chang in training Kien Keat-Boon Heong for the morning sessions and help Kim Her with the rest of the doubles squad in the evening.

The BAM are getting a special tutor to help Yong-sung learn English in order to better communicate with the players.


THE STAR

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