It was a day of mixed fortunes for Malaysia’s flag bearers in the Maybank Malaysia Open Super Series at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Thursday with top women’s doubles pair Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei keeping the flag flying with a place in Friday’s quarter-finals.
Sadly Malaysia’s second surviving pair in the second round – Amelia Alicia Anscelly-Soong Fie Cho – crashed out after a 63 minute battle against Germany’s Isabel Herttrich-Brigit Michels who won 16-21, 21-17, 21-14.
However, in stepped Vivian Hoo-Khe Wei to bring out the cheers from the Malaysian fans as they stopped Indonesian qualifiers Anggia Shitta Awanda-Mahadewi Istirani Ni Ketut to win 21-9, 18-21, 21-18 in 65 minutes.
They Malaysians will face another mammoth task in the quarter-finals tomorrow when when they face No. 8 seeds Huan Xia-Tian Qing who made shortwork Indonesia’s Pia Zabdedih Bernadeth-Rizki Amelia Pradipta.
Vivian Hoo-Khe Wei were thrown off guard when the Indonesian qualifiers pulled off an upset win over second seeds Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl in the first round.
“We had mentally prepared to face the Danes and had to change all that when we played the Indonesian pair. It was all smooth going in the first set. However, in the second set, the Indonesians, who had nothing to lose, fought back and caught us with their attacking play.”
“Somehow we managed to do the job in the rubber. It is nice to be in the quarter-finals and we hope to improve on that. Our best is reaching the quarter-finals and we hope to make their semis although it is a tough match against the Chinese pair,” said Vivan Hoo.
Amelia and Fie Cho were disappointed to go out of the Malaysia Open and blamed their tactical strategies and slow recovery in fighting back their aggressive opponents.
“We just could not perform when it mattered most,” said Amelia.
