SHENZHEN: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong have been handed the toughest start to a tournament any player can expect after being drawn with London Olympics gold and silver medallists – Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun and Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen respectively – in the group stage of the World Super Series Finals starting here today.

However, the Malaysians have shrugged off the tough draw and are prepared to fight their way into the semi-finals.

The draw made yesterday pitted the Malaysians against Olympic champions Haifeng-Cai Yun of China and runners-up Boe-Mogensen of Denmark as well as dangerous South Korean pair Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang in Group A.

The other Malaysian pair, Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong, are in Group B with Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan, Hong Wei-Shen Ye of China and Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit of Thailand.

The top two pairs from each group will play in the crossover semi-finals.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong must beat either the Danish or the Chinese pair, whom they have been struggling against this year, to survive the group stage.

Boon Heong was philosophical about the draw, saying it was something that could not be avoided.

“But it’s good to play the big names early on ... and we’re ready for them. It’s only for the top eight pairs and either way we still have to win matches to get to the semi-finals,” he said.

“We’ve been playing in the China League the past week and are in tournament condition.

“It’s good preparation as we have to play against tough opponents like Haifeng-Cai Yun and Boe-Mogensen early on. Even the Korean pair cannot be under-estimated, although they look the easiest opponents on paper.”

Kien Keat-Boon Heong have showed consistent form since the London Olympics, where they lost in the bronze medal play-off. They’ve reached three of the last four finals of the Super Series events but lost all of them.

Will Shenzhen see a change of luck for the beleaguered Malaysian pair then?

- Lim Teik Huat, The Star