PETALING JAYA: Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing ended their five-year drought for a title when they beat Korean pair Ko Sung Hyun-Eom Hye-won 21-15, 21-18 in 50 minutes in Suncheon City on Sunday (April 10).
The national No. 1 mixed doubles pair, placed number 10 in the world rankings, were in top form as they cruised past the experienced homesters in straight games to clinch the Korean Open title after superb play.
This is Kian Meng-Pei Jing’s third straight win over the Koreans after tasting victory against them in the quarter-finals of the Indonesia Masters (2020) and the second round of last year’s Denmark Open.
This win will be more memorable for the Malaysian pair, who clinched their first Super 500 tournament title.
This was also Kian Meng-Pei Jing’s first title since they won the Malaysian Masters in 2017.
For the record, Kian Meng-Pei Jing are also the only Malaysians after Lee Chong Wei to win the Korea Open title since the tournament’s inception in 1991.
With the win, Kian Meng-Pei Jing took home $28,440 (RM120,000), while Sung Hyun-Hye Won settled for $13,680 (RM57,750). – Agencies
