Singapore: Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying were split up 2 months ago when Goh was planning to undergo knee surgery. However, after few weeks of consultations with the medical team, instead of going for knee surgery, Goh LiuYing changed her mind and opted for aprogramme with the National Sports Institute (NSI) to strengthen her injury-prone knees. The duo will resume their partnership in Singapore Open which begins on Wednesday.
This year, the pair only played at the Malaysian Open in January where they lost in the second round to Indonesia’s Praveen Jordan-Debby Susanto.
Since then, Peng Soon has been partnered with 21-year-old Lai Pei Jing, but they were so inconsistent and achieved mixed results by making to the final of the Austrian International Challenge in February and the quarter-finals of the Indian Open last week.
“I’m hoping Peng Soon and I can make a strong come back to the mixed doubles game. My knees are feeling much better, I hope this would help my performance on the court,” said Liu Ying.
“I’m definitely hoping Peng Soon and I can do well in Singapore Open, as this would boost our confidence in the upcoming Commonwealth Games."
Despite two months of inactivity, the duo only dropped one spot to No. 7 in the world. They have a tough draw in Singapore Open, which they will face South Korea’s world No. 35 Shin Baek-cheol-Eom Hye-won in the first round.
"I am ready to give my best" said Liu Ying.
If they are able to beat the South Korean they will face China’s Liu Cheng-Bao Yixin or Indonesia’s Fran Kurniawan-Shendy Puspa Irawati in the second round.
Three other mixed doubles that also in the main draw are: Ong Jian Guo-Lee Meng Yean, Tan Aik Quan-Lim Yin Loo, and Mohd Adib Haiqal-Sannatasah Saniru.
The draws are not easy for world No. 10 Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong and world No. 15 Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah either. Thien How-Wee Kiong, will start against Indonesia’s Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pankaryanira-Ade Yusuf while V Shem-Khim Wah will take on fifth-seeded scratch pair Kim Sa-rang-Yoo Yeon-seong of South Korea in the first round.
There are four other Malaysian pairs that qualified for the main draw – Ow Yao Han-Tan Boon Heong, Chow Pak Chuu-Mak Hee Chun, Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Mohd Razif Latif-Vountus Indra Mawan.
