Zakry-Fairuz need to beat top pair

2009/11/09

K.M. Boopathy

ZAKRY Latif-Fairuzizuan Tazari are in a precarious position in the Nov 17-22 China Open in Shanghai as they must beat compatriots Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong to qualify for the Super Series Masters Finals in Kuala Terengganu next month.

Zakry-Fairuz, 12th in the Super Series ranking, must break into the top eight to secure a berth in the Masters Finals scheduled for Dec 1-7, and this means they must, at least, secure a place in the semi-finals in Shanghai. Kien Keat-Boon Heong, the World No 1 pair, are the possible quarter-final opponents and that could be a blessing as Zakry-Fairuz have beaten their higher ranked compatriots twice in international tournaments.

Zakry-Fairuz have a tough first-round match against Choo Gun Woo-Shin Baek Cheol of South Korea. Assuming they advance, the Malaysians are likely to meet Hong Kong pair Johan Hadi Kusuma-Wong Wai Hong before the expected meeting with Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who have already qualified for the Masters Finals, in the last eight.

But prior to the China Open, Zakry-Fairuz play in the Hong Kong Open, which starts tomorrow in which their campaign is likely to end in the quarter-finals where they meet Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.

This makes their campaign in the China Open, the final Super Series event, crucial as anything less than a semi-final berth could see them missing the Masters Finals.

Should they beat Kien Keat-Boon Heong in Shanghai, they are expected to meet Markis-Hendra in a rematch.

Fairuzizuan (front) and Zakry.

China have two pairs -- fourth ranked Guo Zhendong-Xu Chen and seventh seeds Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng -- in the top eight and should they withdraw from the Masters Finals, which was the case last year, things will be easier for Zakry-Fairuz.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong won the inaugural Masters Finals in Kota Kinabalu last year while Zakry-Fairuz were beaten semi-finalists.