V Shem-Wee Kiong

* Peng Soon-Liu Ying take the mixed doubles title

* V Shem-Wee Kiong edged out in men’s doubles final

 

That little extra was missing from their game when it mattered most as Malaysia’s No 1 doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong fell to a 22-20, 21-19 defeat to Russia’s Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov in the men’s doubles final in the USD50,000 Russian Open Grand Prix in Vladivostok on Sunday.

With the defeat the Malaysians, seeded second, are still searching for their first Open title but still it was good outing for the pair before next month’s World Championships in Jakarta from Aug 10-16.

The top seeded Russian pair was given a tough time by the Malaysians who battled for 75 minutes in the semi-finals before coming off 15-21, 21-19, 21-18 winners against their former teammates Hoon Thien How-Lim Khim Wah who are now independent players.

V Shem-Khim Wah, the Commonwealth Games champions and ranked No 17 in the world, return home USD1,900 richer for their efforts while the champions pocketed USD3,950.

Earlier Malaysia bagged the mixed doubles title through Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying who defeated the young Japanese pair of Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino 21-13, 23-21 in a 39 minute final.

The Peng Soon-Liu Ying partnership is slowly finding the rhythm which once made them No 3 in the world since their return early this year. This is their third title since then where they had previously won the KL Open and the Poland International Challenge.

The Malaysians, who were unseeded in the Russian Open, however lived dangerously in the second set before carving out the win to pocket USD3,950.

The Malaysian pair are eyeing a place in the 2016 Rio Olympics and hope to improve on their current world ranking of 41.

The men’s singles title, as expected went Indonesia’s way with top seed Tommy Sugiarto carving out an easy 21-16, 21-10 win over Estonia’s Raul Must in 39 minutes in the final. The title came with USD3,750 in prize money. The Estonian took home USD1,900.

Kristina Gavnholt of Czech Republic took the women’s singles title with a 21-10, 22-20 win over Japan’s Mayu Matsumoto while Bulgaria took the women’s doubles title through top seeds Stoeva sisters Gabriela and Stefani who beat second seeds Johanna Goliszewski-Carla Nelte of Germany 21-15, 21-17.

 

RESULTS (ALL FINALS)

MEN

Singles

Tommy Sugiarto (Ina) beat Raul Must (Est) 21-16, 21-10

 

Doubles

Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov (Rus) beat Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) 22-20, 21-19

 

WOMEN

Singles

Kristina Gavnholt (Cze Rep) beat Mayu Matsumoto (Jpn) 21-10, 22-20

 

Doubles

Gabriela Stoeva-Stefani Stoeva (Bul) beat Johanna Goliszewski-Carla Nelte (Ger) 21-15, 21-17

 

MIXED DOUBLES

Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) beat Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino (Jpn) 21-13, 23-21

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