TheStar PETALING JAYA: Veteran doubles player Choong Tan Fook's ill luck continues. The 29-year-old has been ruled out of the Kedah Open starting tomorrow after an old knee injury returned to haunt him while training. And Tan Fook's participation in the Sudirman Cup world mixed team competition in Beijing next month now hangs in the balance. Tan Fook was to have partnered Choon Eng for the Kedah Open and their withdrawal will see an open battle in the men's doubles. With the experienced pair out, the fight should be between the young pairs of Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock, Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui and Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat. Tan Fook was one of three doubles players named last week in the Malaysian team for the Sudirman Cup, which will be from May 10-15. The other men's doubles players named in the 10-man strong squad were Chan Chong Ming and Koo Kien Keat. If Tan Fook is deemed unfit to compete in the Sudirman Cup, national head coach Yap Kim Hock could be looking at Mohd Zakry or Gan Teik Chai as possible replacements. “Tan Fook has an injury and I have to leave him out of the Kedah Open to give him time to recover,†said Kim Hock. Tan Fook is not going to be the only one to miss the opening leg of the national circuit this week. National number two singles player Mohd Hafiz Hashim's leg still remains swollen after an injury in the Japan Open early this month and he may also have to give the Kedah Open a miss. Another of Misbun's charges, Kuan Beng Hong, is also doubtful for the Kedah Open after coming down with a back injury. Whether the two players will be fit to play will be known when the team managers meet today.
