Impian pasangan beregu campuran negara, Chan Peng Soon dan Goh Liu Ying, untuk mencipta satu lagi kejutan dalam Kejohanan Seluruh England tidak kesampaian apabila kecundang di tangan lawan dari China, Lu Kai dan Huang Yaqiong, dalam aksi tiga set mendebarkan, malam tadi.
Peng Soon dan Liu Ying seharusnya menoktahkan kejayaan dalam set kedua tetapi gugup pada hujung perlawanan membuatkan mereka berputih mata selepas Lu Kai dan Yaqiong menggunakan kesempatan itu untuk menyamakan kedudukan bagi mengheret perlawanan ke set penentuan.
Pada set pertama, pasangan negara memperagakan aksi kemas untuk menang 21-18, sebelum tumpas pada set kedua dan ketiga, 19-21 dan 16-21.
"Kami agak keletihan memasuki set kedua dan ketiga, keadaan mental kami juga terganggu," kata Peng Soon.
Pun begitu, Malaysia tetap boleh berbangga kerana buat julung kalinya, negara mempunyai wakil di pentas akhir dalam acara beregu campuran selepas hampir 60 tahun.
Ia adalah satu rekod baru yang dilakar oleh kedua-dua pemain berkenaan, kesinambungan yang diteruskan selepas meraih pingat perak dalam Sukan Olimpik Rio, tahun lalu..
"Saya telah melakukan beberapa kesilapan yang tidak sepatutnya, bagaimanapun saya masih berbangga kerana mampu mara sehingga ke pentas final." kata Liu Ying.
Rekod terbaik Peng Soon-Liu Ying sebelum ini adalah sehingga ke separuh akhir edisi 2012, yang menyaksikan mereka tewas kepada wakil Indonesia, Tontowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir.
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Mon Mar 13 2017
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