IT may only be the first round, but national women’s doubles Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen and Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean gave good accounts of themselves at the Indonesia Open in Jakarta yesterday.
On a day that saw the likes of men’s doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik crash out, Vivian-Cheng Wen and Mei Kuan-Meng Yean fought hard to clear the first round, silencing the critics who have always deemed the national women’s doubles the weakest link.
Vivian-Cheng Wen saw off India’s Ashwini Ponnappa-N. Sikki Reddy 22-20, 20-22, 22-20 and will face World No 6 Lee So Hee-Shin Seung Chan of South Korea tomorrow.
World No 14 Mei Kuan-Meng Yean notched a 21-16, 21-16 win over Indonesia’s Yulfira Barkah-Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto. They will play fifth seeds Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu of Indonesia next.
National women’s doubles coach Rosman Razak does not want both pairs to get carried away following their wins yesterday.
“Surely the results were good for both pairs but it is only the first round. We need to be realistic,” Rosman told Timesport yesterday.
“It was a tough match for Vivian-Cheng Wen. Their rotation was not tight but their defence was strong. Cheng Wen also played well today and looked fit on court.
“As for Mei Kuan-Meng Yean, they were solid and consistent.
“Their opponents in the second round are way better. My pairs need to play better if they hope to win.”
Also clearing the first round were mixed doubles Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, who defeated China’s Lu Kai-Chen Lu 23-21, 21-13.
The in-form Malaysian pair face eighth seeds Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong next.
In the men’s doubles, Aaron-Wooi Yik were sent packing by World No 3 Li Jun Hui-Liu Yu Chen of China. The Malaysians lost 19-21, 21-15, 21-9.