http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2013/3/9/sports/12814206&sec=sports
Gunning for more ranking points: Vivian Hoo (bottom) and Woon Khe Wei will play Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna of Japan for a place in the semi-finals.
THERE was a sparkle in Woon Khe Wei’s eyes after reaching her first-ever All-England quarter-finals.
It was her best result since hurting her ankle in January last year. The injury made her a bench-warmer for the most part of the year.
On Thursday, however, she was on fire as she combined superbly with Vivian Hoo to knock out fourth seed and world No. 7 Eom Hye-won-Jang Ye-na of South Korea 21-13, 17-21, 21-17 in 66 minutes in the women’s doubles.
The breakthrough has given Khe Wei and Vivian a big boost in their bid to qualify for this year’s World Championships in August.
Khe Wei, who welcomed the breakthrough as an early birthday present, was overjoyed.
“Vivian and I played well to reach our first Super Series quarter-finals after a year – and to do it at the All-England is great,” said Khe Wei, who will turn 24 on March 18.
“I felt no pain during the match against the Koreans but I can feel it now,” she laughs.
“I must continue to monitor (her ankle condition). It’s been a tough one year for me. I have stayed away from competition for many months. I’m glad that despite all the difficulties, Vivian has stuck by my side.”
Before picking up the injury at last year’s Malaysian Open, Khe Wei-Vivian were riding high. They showed that they were able replacements for former internationals Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty by winning the Indonesian Open Grand Prix Gold in 2011.
“The injury stalled our progress. I could take the physical pain but it was a mentally taxing experience. I’m stronger now and hope to build from here,” said Khe Wei
Vivian, who will turn 23 a day after Khe Wei’s birthday, feels that the hard work they’ve been putting in under coach Rosman Razak is finally bearing fruit.
“We came here with good preparation. We did well to control the Koreans from the start and we hope to continue playing with confidence against our next opponents,” said Vivian.
Their last eight opponents are sixth seeds Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna of Japan. The Malaysians have beaten them once in three meetings – in the second round of last year’s Malaysian Open where Khe Wei injured her ankle.
Whatever the outcome, world No. 28 Khe Wei-Vivian’s good showing here will surely help them break into the top 24 – and strengthen their claim for a place in the world meet.
Results:
SECOND ROUND
Men’s singles: Tommy Sugiarto (Ina) bt Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) 21-12, 21-8; Nguyen Tien Minh (Vie) bt Sourabh Verma (Ind) 21-19, 21-19; Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Wang Zhengming (Chn) 21-17, 21-19; Jan O Jorgensen (Den) bt Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Ina) 11-7 (rtd); P. Kashyap (Ind) bt Kenichi Tago (Jpn) 21-18, 21-12; Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) bt Sho Sasaki (Jpn) 21-9, 21-11.
Men’s doubles: Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari (Mas) bt Ricky Karanda Suwardi-Mohd Ulinnuha (Ina) 21-19, 21-15; Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa (Jpn) bt Robert Blair-Tan Bin Shen (Sco-Mas) 17-21, 21-13, 21-14; Liu Xialong-Qiu Zihan (Chn) bt Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) 11-21, 21-11, 27-25; Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor) bt Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata (Jpn) 21-18, 21-18; Mohd Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) bt Lee Sheng-mu-Tsai Chia-tsin (Tpe) 23-21, 21-16.
Women’s singles: Saina Nehwal (Ind) bt Belaetrix Manuputi (Ina) 21-16, 21-11; Wang Shixian (Chn) bt Jiang Yanjiao (Chn) 21-11, 21-8; Lindaweni Fanetri (Ina) bt Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (Tha) 21-14, 21-10; Tine Baun (Den) bt Li Han (Chn) 21-13, 22-20; Juliane Schenk (Ger) bt P.V. Sindhu (Ind) 21-17, 21-14; Eriko Hirose (Jpn) bt Bae Yeon-ju (Kor) 20-22, 22-20, 21-19.
Women’s doubles: Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth-Rizki Amelia Pradipta (Ina) bt Lee So-hee-Shun Seung-chan (Kor) 21-12, 21-17; Ma Jin-Tang Jinhua (Chn) bt Anggia Shitta Awanda-Greysa Polii (Ina) 21-14, 21-15; Eun Kyung-eun-Kim Ha-na (Kor) bt Poon Lok Yan-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) 22-20, 21-19; Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna (Jpn) bt Anneke Feinya Agustin-Nitya Krishinda Maheswari (Ina) 17-21, 21-12, 21-9; Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Bao Yixin-Tian Qing (Chn) 21-17, 11-6 (rtd); Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (Mas) bt Eom Hye-won-Jang Ye-na (Kor) 21-13, 17-21, 21-17.
Mixed doubles: Mohd Rijal-Debby Susanto (Ina) bt Jorrit de Ruiter-Samantha Barning (Ned) 21-12, 21-14; Sudket Prapakamol-T. Saralee (Tha) bt Ong Jian Guo-Lim Yin Loo (Mas) 21-14, 21-13; Tantowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir (Ina) bt Kim Ki-jung-Jung Kyung-eun (Kor) 21-5, 21-11; Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezda Zieba (Pol) bt V Diju-Jwala Gutta (Ind) 21-17, 21-16
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