Koo-Tan need to tighten defence to beat Koreans

PETALING JAYA: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will have to work on their defensive aspects of play if they harbour hopes of making a successful defence of the men’s doubles title in the Super Series Masters Finals, which will be played in Johor Baru from Dec 2-6.

The world No. 1 failed in their bid to become the first Malaysian pair to win a China Open men’s doubles title when they lost to world No. 2 Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae of South Korea in the final in Shanghai on Sunday. The battling Koreans won the 76-minute match 21-13, 19-21, 21-18.

Despite the defeat, Kien Keat-Boon Heong will remain as the top ranked pair in the world until the new season begins in January.

The duo still have two tournaments left to play this year. After the Masters Finals, they will feature in the Laos SEA Games.

And national doubles coach Rosman Razak said that Kien Keat-Boon Heong would have to strengthen their defence in the Masters Finals.

“They can expect to play against the Koreans for the Masters Finals title. Koo-Tan will have to more solid in defence apart from maintaining their attacking pace,” he said.

“The Korean pair showed (in the China Open) that they were much better in defence and at times could retrieve more than 10 consecutive shots.

“The good thing is Boon Heong is showing greater determination and does not get frustrated when he fails to kill a rally with his powerful smashes. It’s good for their partnership as they must try to maintain their attacking pace even when things are not going their way.”

Although Kien Keat-Boon Heong failed to get the better of Jae-sung-Yong-dae in Shanghai, Rosman felt that the situation should be different in Johor Baru.

“The shuttle was a bit slow in Shang­­­hai but I think it will be different if this element is taken care of,” he said.

“For Koo-Tan, their recovery is more important as it has been a hectic schedule over the last two months for them, competing in four straight Super Series tournaments (Denmark, French, Hong Kong and China). Overall, they did well to reach three finals and winning one of them.”

Kien Keat-Boon Heong won in Denmark, beating Danes Carsten Mogensen-Mathias Boe but fell to Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the French Open. They lost to compatriots Lee Wan Wah-Choong Tan Fook in the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Open.