Thais next for Koo-Tan

KOO Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will play Thai darkhorses Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit after they fell 21-16, 21-11 to South Korea's Chung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae in their final London
Olympics Group D match at the London Arena on Tuesday.

That stretched their head-to-head to 13-2 in favour of the Koreans but one has to think this was a calculated gamble by the Malaysians.

Had they won to top the group, Kien Keat-Boon Heong would have to play Indonesians Mohammad Ahsan-Bona Septano in Thursday's quarter-finals. Although their head-to-head is only 3-2 in favour of the Indonesians, the Malaysians recent record probably part a major role in the strategising of the national camp.

Koo Kien Keat (front) and Tan Boon Heong

The Malaysian camp, however, insisted they played to win.

"The players tried but the Koreans were at the top of their game today," said doubles coach Tan Kim Her. "We tried different strategies but Chung-Lee managed to counter all of them."

Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who had been impressive in their first two group games, just couldn't cope with the power play of the Koreans.

"We had an off day but I believe if we were to meet them again, it will be a different performance from us," said Kien Keat.

That can only happen if both pairs advance to the final, which several others are eyeing, and what matters for the moment is the challenge of the Thais.

"We have to analyse their games and devise the right strategy. We have only played them once - in the 2009 Sea Games - which we won but they have, obviously, improved," said Boon Heong.

For Kien Keat-Boon Heong, they are at the same stage they were four years ago in the Beijing Games and destiny is now in their hands.



VIJESH RAI - NST