Nelson-Teo Have What It Takes To Join Senior Squad

ALOR SETAR: Youngsters Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Teo Ee Yi are like fresh breath of air for Malaysia in the men’s doubles badminton.

They have the talent, style, big ambition and fire in the belly.

These are perfect ingredients for Nelson-Ee Yi to make a grand entrance into the senior league and be counted on by Malaysia.

Making waves: Teo Ee Yi (foreground) and Nelson Heg showed good promise at the Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold in Alor Setar.

In the Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold here on Wednesday, the duo held the upper hand when they took a 15-11 lead in the rubber game before losing 21-16, 12-21, 19-21 to their senior compatriots Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Ong Soon Hock.

The 18-year-old Ee Yi was ruing over a missed opportunity to create a big win.

”It was a heartbreaking defeat for us. We were so close to winning. Fairuzizuan and Soon Hock were so good at front court and we lacked sharpness at the net,” he said.

“Both Nelson and I have come far since we teamed up two years ago. We are growing more confident.

“I have always admired Tan Boon Heong (who forms the national top partnership with Koo Kien Keat) from the start. I like the way he takes control of the game from the back of the court.

“Hopefully, Nelson and I will be able to make it big in the senior team within the next two years.”

But first, Ee Yi-Nelson have two mission to accomplish this year – to become gold medallists in both the Asian Juniors (July 2-9 in India) and the World Juniors (Oct 28-Nov 6 in Taiwan).

“We reached the final of the World Juniors last year but we crashed out in the semi-finals at the Asian Juniors,” said Ee Yi.

“We want to win both the titles this time. It will be a perfect end to our junior careers.”

The duo come under the charge of Yap Kim Hock under the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) programme.

With a few back-up pairs, among them Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming and Pang Zheng Lin-Yew Hong Kheng, showing good promise, Malaysia’s doubles department may finally be proud of having both quality and quantity.