Scratch combination put Malaysia in the Uber Cup Finals
PETALING JAYA: One is a Commonwealth Games champion while the other is a world junior champion. Yesterday, the senior-junior scratch combination of Lim Pek Siah and Ng Hui Lin brought joy for Malaysia.
Pek Siah and Hui Lin, who are playing as a pair for the first time, nailed the winning point in Malaysia’s stunning 3-1 win over Singapore in the quarter-finals of the Uber Cup qualifying tournament at Ho Chi Minh City yesterday.
With their win yesterday, Malaysia are virtually assured of a place in the Finals which will be held in Jakarta from May 11-19.
Today, Malaysia will take on Japan in the semi-finals.
Even if they lose, Malaysia should make it to the Finals by virtue of being ranked higher than Scotland, the fourth-ranked European team.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) had made a ruling that the fourth-ranked Asian and European teams in the qualifiers would be decided on their overall world standings.
Yesterday, though, Malaysia got off to a jittery start.
The hope was on Wong Mew Choo but the China Open champion went down fighting 20-22, 19-21 to China-born Xing Aiying.
The defeat, however, did not dampen the spirit of the Malaysian camp as Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty put Malaysia back in the fight with a 21-16, 21-17 win over Jiang Yanmei-Li Yujia.
Julia Wong lived up to expectations by putting Malaysia 2-1 up after a superb 21-10, 21-12 win over Fu Mingtian.
Malaysia pulled off a surprise by fielding Pek Siah of the KLRC Bhd and Hui Lin, who won the world junior mixed doubles with Lim Khim Wah and the duo did not disappoint when they clinched the winning point with a sensational 21-17, 21-15 win over Yao Lei-Sari Shinta Mulia.
Julia was ecstatic with the women’s achievement. It is only the second time that the women had qualified for the Finals on merit.
“I was a reserve when Malaysia first qualified for the Finals on merit (in 2004). But today, I contributed one point in Malaysia’s success. It feels great,” said Julia in a telephone interview from Ho Chi Minh City.
MY Thoughts:
Look at Singapore … haha, no love for country as more and more imports(from CHINA in their UBER CUP) playing games/sports for their country. DO WE MALAYSIANS ADMIRE SPOREANS, the KIASU? Haha … so sick, man. Winning becoming almost EVERYTHING to them that their poor country-man would never hv the chance to represent theri OWN country anymore! A disgrace of development in our ill-informed society.
Will elaborate … tata
