Doubles badminton player Koo Kien Keat's partnership with senior Chan Chong Ming will be put to the test in next week's six-star China Open (US$250,000). And he hopes to pass the test with flying colors.?

Kien Keat-Chong Ming, who were paired up by national doubles chief coach Yap Kim Hock after the Athens Olympic Games, got off to a splendid start when they scored back-to-back wins in the Malacca and Selangor Open tournaments in the last two months.

Now, the 19-year-old Kien Keat, is determined to open his campaign in his first international tournament on a high note with Chong Ming.

Kien Keat-Chong Ming are one of the four Malaysian men's doubles taking part in the China Open.?

The others are sixth seed Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng, Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui and Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock.

Although the China Open draw is not favorable, Kien Keat said he was ready for the big challenge.

“We (Chong Ming and I) have won the last two local tournaments. But the real test will be in the China Open. We will be brushing shoulders with the big guns for the first time. The results in China will certainly give an indication on our future as a pair,” said Kien Keat.

“My form fluctuates during competition. I am working on this and I hope I will be able to give consistent performances in all international tournaments starting with the China Open.”

The lanky shuttler, who impressed during the Thomas Cup Finals with Chew Choon Eng in the final against Indonesia in Jakarta in May, said that he was not under any pressure to fill up the gap in the doubles department following the absence of Lee Wan Wah.

Wan Wah, who was ranked as the world number one pair with Tan Fook, is out of action for six months after undergoing surgery for a knee injury last week.

“I look at Wan Wah's absence on a positive note. I think, Chong Ming and I have an opportunity to fill up the gap and we will give our best to become the best pair in the country,” he added.

On his chances in the China Open, Kien Keat said he hopes to reach at least the quarter-finals.

The duo have been drawn to play sixth seed Liu Kwok Wa-Albertus Susanto Njoto of Hong Kong. A win will pit them against teammates Soon Hock-Bin Shen.

If they advance, they will most probably meet top seed and All-England champions Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen of Denmark.

“I think the draw is not too bad for us. It will be good if we can hit it off well. There are seeded players in our path and we will give our best,” added Kien Keat, who did not even make the main draw of the last year's China Open with former partner Gan Teik Chai.

Two other dangerous pair in the Malaysians' half of the draw are third seed Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun of China and Indonesian Candra Wijaya-Sigit Budiarto.

The China Open sees the reunion of Candra-Sigit, who were the 1997 World Championships winners. In the last couple of years, the duo had been switching partners.

The fight in the second half of the draw will be between second seeds and reigning world champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark and fourth seeds Sang Yang-Zheng Bo of China.

(thestar.com November 10, 2004)