Badminton: Kien Keat-Boon Heong Shown The Exit, Chong Wei Meets Kuncoro Yet Again

JAKARTA, June 25 (Bernama) -- World number one men's doubles pair Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong were booted out of the Indonesian Open by Japan's Hirokatsu Hashimoto/Noriyoshi Hirata in a quarter-final match at the Istora Senayan here Friday.

In what looked like a repeat performance of the embarrassing defeat at the hands of Japan in the Thomas Cup, the Japanese pair won 21-13, 19-21, 18-21 to douse any hopes of the Malaysians exacting revenge for their earlier defeat in Kuala Lumpur.

In Friday's match, Kien Keat/Boon Heong strolled to an easy 21-13 first set win against the Japanese pair, seeded 15th in the world, but just like how their counterparts in football had fought to beat Denmark 3-1 in a World Cup tie yesterday to clinch a spot in the last 16, Hashimoto and Hirata played their hearts out to clinch the next two sets and march into the semifinals.

Their defeat meant, Malaysia's representation in the doubles competition ended for the second consecutive tournament, as they had also failed to make any headway in the Singapore Open last week.

But while the duo were unceremoniously booted out, world number one and Malaysian number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei moved into the semi-final with an opportunity to avenge his defeat to local hero Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the Singapore Open.

Chong Wei who beat Kenichi Tago of Japan to win the All England title, repeated a similar feat Friday, to beat the rising Japanese star 21-12, 8-21, 21-12, while Kuncoro smashed past veteran Malaysian Wong Choong Hann 21-11, 21-17 in straight sets.

Source from BERNAMA