KUALA LUMPUR: National women’s doubles, Yap Cheng Wen is ready to be fielded at any time despite focus being on top pairs Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei and Chow Mei Kuan-Tee Jing Yi, as the Asia Team Championship takes place in Alor Setar from February 6 (Tuesday) to February 11 (Sunday).
According to the 23-year-old doubles player, she is still in shock after being named for the national squad that will take part in the championship which is also a qualifying round for the Uber Cup which takes place in Bangkok come May.
"So far my preparations are going smoothly and I will do the best that I can if I am fielded for the championship,” said Cheng Wen who won the 2016 Scotland Open with her doubles partner Lim Yin Loo.
The Melaka born player has her own target even though she and Yin Loo are not a first choice pair – which is to help the team advance to the semi-finals of the championship and thus gain automatic qualification for the Uber Cup.
"I do not know what are coach Wong Pei Tty’s plans but I do hope that we can see some action at the championship. For me, I feel what’s most important is that we are able to top the group as we are in a good position to do so thanks to the draw,” she said.
The national women’s squad have been drawn in group Y together with Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, with the top two teams from the group advancing to the quarter-finals.
Another national doubles player who also made the squad is Goh Yea Ching who once partnered Khe Wei at the 2017 Malaysia Masters.
Apart from doubles, four singles players have been named for the squad, namely Soniia Cheah, Goh Jin Wei, S. Kisona and Lim Yin Fun.
Malaysia will face Vietnam on Tuesday and are not expected to face any problems in registering their first win of the championship.