BADMINTON
Cheers Age-Group (Doubles) Championships 2007 (Under-13)
Thursday, 6 December 07 at the Singapore Badminton Hall
Story by Tan Hong Ming.
Ho Huin Kit and Julian Chee beat Tan Zi Jian and Zhu Bo Lin 22-24, 21-14, 21-14 in a tense Under-13 doubles quarter-final game on Thursday at the Singapore Badminton Hall.
Ho Huin Kit reaches for the shuttle while his partner Julian Chee looks on from behind. Photo from Singapore Badminton Association.
All eyes were fixed on Court 6 as the two sets of players battled it out. Cheers and shouts reverberated around as Huin Kit and Julian, both 12, faced off against their toughest opponents yet.
Due to the tense atmosphere, the pair suffered a nervous start. Ji Zian and Bo Lin kept pace with them for most of the match and took the first set 24-22. However, Huin Kit and Julian soon calmed down and a series of powerful smashes and accurate shots stretched their opponents enough to see them through the second set 21-14. In the decider, they showed glimpses of their potential as they smashed home winners and frustrated their opponents with a series of cross-court shots. With a roar of approval from the crowd, they finally clinched the game 22-24, 21-14, 21-14.
Asked about their chances of winning the tournament, Julian replied, "Fifty-fifty. This match was close, but the real challenge will be Imran and Jey-ren should we meet them in the finals."
Their fears were not unfounded. Number-one seed Imran Khan, 11, and Jey-ren Poon, 12, looked calm and confident in their fast-paced quarter-final match against Leslie Teng and Tay Li Wei. It all looked too easy for them as they stormed off to win the first set 21-3. Although they were at the receiving end of several smashes in the second, they always looked in control and quickly dispatched their opponents 21-3, 21-18.
It would not be good news to Huin Kit and Julian to know that Imran, who took home the Under-11 title with a different partner last year, was ‘very confident' of repeating his feat.
If the Under-13 matches are any indication, this year's finals are shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet. Vying for glory and a shot at the prize purse of more than S$13,000, young and old alike have put their skills on show. From six to sixty-two years of age, more than 700 competitors have signed up for a chance at the Under-11, U-13, U-15, U-17 and Open Category titles.
Leave A Comment