WINNING the French Open, which starts today, will be near impossible for mixed doubles Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying but a good run in Paris will offer them the confidence for the World Tour Finals in December.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying, who reached the last eight in last week’s Denmark Open, have virtually qualified for the World Tour event in Guangzhou with 78,490 points. Only the top eight pairs will qualify for the tournament.
The World No 6 will open their campaign in Paris against compatriots Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing today.
However, Peng Soon-Liu Ying are taking a cautious approach although the independent pair had defeated Kian Meng-Pei Jing in straight games in the quarter-finals of the New Zealand Open in May.
“We have to be cautious. It is always tricky when facing another Malaysian pair as we know each other’s game,” said Peng Soon.
“Kian Meng-Pei Jing are a good pair, so we need to be prepared in all aspects.”
Peng Soon-Liu Ying, the fifth seeds, are in the same half as China’s world champions Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong, who they are drawn to meet in the last eight.
Compatriots Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie have a tough first-round match against Si Wei-Ya Qiong.
In the men’s singles, Lee Zii Jia, who lost in three games to reigning Olympic champion Chen Long in the Denmark Open, faces a tricky opener against eight seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia.
Based on current form, World No 8 Anthony is expected to beat the 15th-ranked Malaysian.
In the men’s doubles, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong take on Japan’s Keigo Sonoda-Takeshi Kamura while Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik face South Korea’s Choi Sol Gyu-Seo Seung Jae.
Ong Ewe Sin-Teo Ee Yi are up against Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.