Paris: Malaysia’s mixed doubles No. 8 seeds Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing who have suffered a dip in form since the Korea, Japan and Denmark Opens, overcame a slow start by saving one set-point in the first set and were barely troubled by Nipitphon Phuangphuapet/Jongkolphan Kititharakul of Thailand in the second set to win a comfortable first-round match at the French Open on Tuesday.
Tan/Lai are set to take on Ronan Labar/Audrey Fontaine of France next.
Meanwhile, another Malaysian mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai who went the distance to reach the Denmark Open semi-finals last week, appeared to struggle with their shots in the French Open opener, losing 21-16, 21-14 to No. 7 seeds Seo Seung Jae/Kim Ha Na of Korea in 32 minutes. The Korean pair will meet Mathias Christiansen/Christinna Pedersen of Denmark in the second round.
Men’s singles players such as Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, Chen Long of China, Kidambi Srikanth of India and last week’s Denmark Open women’s singles winner Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand will be the centre of attention on the second day of French Open on Wednesday.
The other Malaysians who will start their French Open campaigns on Wednesday are Goh V Shem/Teo Ee Yi and Tan Wee Kiong/Ong Yew Sin (men’s doubles); Soniia Cheah (women’s singles); Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei and Soong Fie Cho-Tee Jing Yi (women’s doubles).
