Kuala Lumpur: After losing the first two matches, Kim Sarang/Koo Kien Keat and Goh Giap Chin led Petaling Jaya BC in a scintillating comeback in the 2016/2017 Purple League final at Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting on Sunday, swept aside the star-studded Puchong United 13-9 to win their first Purple League title.
Petaling Jaya’s Dani Harsheel Alpesh got off to a strong start in the first men’s singles match against Puchong United’s Chou Tien Chen by winning the first 2 set, but Alpesh couldn’t finish the job as he eventually defeated by Chou 11-6, 11-8, 3-11, 7-11, 8-11 as Petaling Jaya was trailing 2-3 after the match.
Although women’s singles World No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying of Puchong United was handed a particularly difficult match, pushed all the way by Deng Xuan of Petaling Jaya before winning the second match with 3-2.
In what proved to be a turning point of the tie, Koo Kien Keat/Kim Sarang of Petaling Jaya played through the pressure to keep their team in the Purple League final contention with a sensational demolition of Puchong United’s Lim Khim Wah/Tan Chee Tean 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 to give Petaling Jaya a 1 point lead at 7-6.
Shin Baek Cheol-Woon Khe Wei then dished out a superlative match to surpass Puchong United’s Yoo Yeon Seong-Christinna Pedersen 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-8 in the mixed doubles match.
Petaling Jaya’s captain Goh Giap Chin who quit Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) early 2015 to become a direct salesman, fought his heart out and carried his team to victory by beating World No. 95 men’s singles player Soo Teck Zhi of Puchong United 11-4-, 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-8 in 32 minutes.
The newly crowned Purple League championship took home total prize money of RM500,000, while the runners-up Puchong United received RM250,000, second runners-up Muar BC bagged RM170,000 and third runners-up BU Dragons BC won total prize money of RM150,000.
Below is the 2016/2017 Purple League final standings:
Champions: Petaling Jaya BC
Runners-up: Puchong United BC
Second Runners-up: Muar BC
Third Runners-up: BU Dragons BC
Fifth Place: Petaling BC
Sixth Place: Ampang Jaya BC
Seventh Place: Kepong BC
Eighth Place: Serdang BC
Ninth Place: Bangsar Hawks BC
Tenth Place: Klang City BC
