Cheam June Wei’s hopes of winning the USD75,000  Yonex Dutch Open in Almere ended in straight games 21-19, 21-13 defeat to India’s Sourabh Verma in the final played at Topsport Centre 1 on Sunday.
 
The Malaysian ranked 83, made the final after a hard fought 19-21, 23-21, 21-10 win over European junior champion Toma Junior Popov of France in a 72-minute battle in the semi-finals.
 
Ranked 56 in the world Verma had ousted top seed and home favorite Marc Caljouw 21-18, 21-19 in the semis.
 
June Wei had gone great guns in Almere to reach the final. In the quarter-finals, the Malaysian P. Kashyap, seeded eighth, 21-19, 14-21, 21-8 and was expected to keep his moment going.   
 
However, June Wei came unstuck against the aggressive Verma in his fourth final this year. 
 
Another Malaysian Soong Joo Ven was beaten in the quarter-finals Caljouw for a place in the last four – going 12-21, 16-21. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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