MAYBANK Malaysia Open: Wee Kiong gets new lease of life

TAN Wee Kiong's career was in the doldrums despite having a regular partner and the player had contemplated retiring from the international stage after being left out of the Thomas Cup qualifying squad last year. But he is now enjoying a new lease of life in the men's doubles with Hoon Thien How.
National doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her, who not only included Wee Kiong in the national squad for the Thomas Cup Finals, but also partnered him with Thien How in June and the pair have exceeded expectations by breaking into the top 10 this year.
Wee Kiong and Thien How are presently ranked World No 9 and the former believes that with more effort and confidence when playing against elite pairs, they can improve further.
Wee Kiong said the focus was not so much on progressing in the world ranking but achieving better results and winning at least a grand prix title which is their objective this year.
"We have done well considering that we have only partnered each other for six months but I believe we can do better. Our main objective is to win at least one grand prix title," said the 23-year-old Wee Kiong.
"Our best result on the super series circuit was reaching the semis in the Japan Open and this year, we want to consistently break into the top four.
"We would love to win a super series title but we are not quite there yet. We must first start beating the top five pairs before thinking about the super series title.
"As for the Malaysia Open, our target is the quarter-finals where we will be playing against Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and we will try to make a breakthrough."
Wee Kiong-Thien How begin their Malaysia Open campaign against Denmark's Christian Skovgaard-Mads Pieler Kolding while Kien Keat-Boon Heong face a tricky first round clash against Yonathan Dasuki Suryatama-Hendra Gunawan of Indonesia.
Another back-up pair, Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah will play Rasmus Bonde-Mads Condrad Petersen of Denmark today.
Courtesy of New Straits Times