On guard: Wei Chong (left) Kai Wun are currently seventh in the Race to Hangzhou rankings.
PETALING JAYA: China’s Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang are set to be the biggest threats to national men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun’s hopes of qualifying for the World Tour Finals from Dec 11-15 in Hangzhou.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun are currently seventh in the top eight Race to Hangzhou rankings while Weikeng-Wang Chang, who are 10th, are among the pairs breathing down their necks.
The former need a strong performance in the China Masters which starts today in Shenzhen to stay ahead of the world No. 1 home pair and make the cut for the Finals for the first time.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun suffered a heartbreaking 17-21, 21-19, 19-21 defeat at the hands of eventual winners Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto of Indonesia in the second round of the Japan Masters.
Weikeng-Wang Chang on the other hand will be fresh after skipping the Japan tourney and will be out to turn home advantage in their favour and successfully defend the title they won last year.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will need to at least reach the semi-finals or final of the China tourney to be assured of qualifying for the Finals but it will be no easy task.
The world No. 14 pair will open their campaign against Denmark’s world No. 30 Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard before a likely meeting against Japan’s 2021 world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi in the second round.
If Wei Chong-Kai Wun make it to the last eight, they could face a re-match against Fajar-Rian.
Meanwhile, Weikeng-Wang Chang have been drawn against teammates Xie Haonan-Zeng Weihan in the first round and a win will see them face either Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan or Sabar Gutama-Moh Reza in the second round.
The Chinese pair’s first big test could come against world No. 8 Malaysians Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the quarter-finals.
Another Malaysian pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, who are currently ninth in the Race to Hangzhou, have a slim chance of qualifying for the Finals but will need to win the title or at least reach the final depending on the other pairs’ results.
The duo have a tricky opening match against Indonesia’s Shohibul Fikri-Daniel Marthin.
The other Malaysian men’s doubles pairs in the fray in China are Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian, Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub.
