MIXED doubles Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing will not give up on their Tokyo Olympic dream as long as there is still a sliver of hope.
And they intend to do everything they can to make it to Tokyo in July after checking into the quarter-finals of the Thailand Masters by defeating Indonesia’s Dejan Ferdinansyah-Serena Kani 21-15, 21-13 in the second round yesterday.
The Malaysian pair, who made the semi-finals of the Indonesia Masters last week, will meet Denmark’s Niclas Nohr-Sara Thygesen, who defeated Kyohei Yamashita-Naru Shinoya of Japan 24-22, 23-21, in the last eight today.
World No 14 Kian Meng-Pei Jing know that their chances of qualifying for the Olympics are slim.
In the Race to the Tokyo ranking, Kian Meng-Pei Jing are at No 13, while Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (No 7) and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai (No 10) are placed higher. Two pairs from a country can qualify if they can break into the top eight at the end of the qualifying period (on April 30).
“We are not thinking so much about the Olympics, but we will keep fighting all the way,” said Kian Meng.
“Our quarter-final opponents are quite good. We won’t underestimate them. We will give our best.
“This is our third straight tournament, but we’ve maintained our fitness.”
Soon Huat-Shevon also reached the quarter-finals after beating Germany’s Marcus Lamsfuss-Isabel Herttrich 22-20, 21-15 and will play Hong Kong’s Yeung Ming Nok-Ng Tsz Yau today.
In men’s doubles, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin also continued their battle to qualify for Tokyo 2020 by reaching the last eight in Bangkok.
V Shem-Wee Kiong produced a solid 21-15, 21-16 win over Taiwan’s Liao Min Chun-Su Ching Heng in the second round.
The 2016 Rio de Janeiro silver medallists lost in the preliminary rounds of the first two tournaments of the year, the Malaysia and Indonesia Masters.
“Our chances are still there (to qualify). We’ll just do our best and take it one tournament at a time,” said V Shem.
They will play Marcus Ellis-Chris Langridge of England for a place in the semi-finals.
Ee Yi-Yew Sin, who turned professional after being dropped from the national team three weeks ago, continued their sizzling start to the season by beating Ou Xuan Yi-Zhang Nan of China 21-19, 21-23, 21-19 in 58 minutes to reach the last eight.
They will face Japan’s World Championships silver medallists Takuro Hoki-Yuko Kobayashi, who defeated compatriots Keiichiro Matsui-Yoshinori Takeuchi 21-9, 21-12, in the last eight.
National pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzudin Ramzani crashed out in the second round after losing 21-19, 19-21, 21-16 to Taiwan’s Lee Jhe Huei-Yang Po Hsuan.
In men’s singles, Lee Zii Jia also fell in the second round, going down 21-19, 15-21, 21-16 to South Korean Heo Kwang Hee in 53 minutes.