The hectic schedule took its toll on Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing as the mixed doubles pair went down tamely in the Singapore Open final to Thailand’s World No 4 Dechapol Puavranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai 14-21, 6-21 in 33 minutes.
Both, the Malaysians and the Thais had gone into the final at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang on equal footing – tied 2-2 in the head to head count.
However, the Thais were much superior on the court and in fitness and the Malaysians were never really into the match. Kian Meng-Pei Jing thus failed to achieve what Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie achieved last year.
If there is a consolation for Kian Meng-Pei Jing it was the USD13,490 they picked up for their efforts while the winners took home USD28,045.
Still, Kian Meng-Pei Jing can walk tall, having reached the Malaysia Open semi-finals a week earlier.
“It was tough playing two big tournaments in two weeks. We were physically drained as we had to play up to three-games in some of our matches,” said Pei Jing.
Meanwhile, in the men’s singles final World No 1 Kento Momota of Japan had to toil for 73 minutes before he nailed the title in a come-from-behind 10-21, 21-19, 21-13 win over Indonesia’s No 7 seed Anthony Ginting.
The women’s singles titles, as expected, was won by Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei. The world No 1 sealed the USD26,625 prize money with a 21-19, 21-15 win over former world champion, second seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan.
In the men’s doubles Japan’s world No 3 Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda who dethroned defending champions Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia 21-13, 19-21, 21-17.
Japan’s world champions Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara won the women’s doubles after a 21-17, 22-20 win over Korea’s Kim Hye Jeong-Kong Hee Yong. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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