Best bets: Chen Tang Jie (right) and Toh Ee Wei will open their campaign against Taiwan’s Wu Hsuan-yi-Yang Chu-yun. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Mixed doubles shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei believe that they are slowly closing the gap to China’s top pairs and this could be good news ahead of the Malaysian Open starting today at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
World No. 5 Tang Jie-Ee Wei are among Malaysia’s best bets to end the country’s 60-year wait for a mixed doubles champion in the home Open along with world No. 6 Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin (No. 20).
The last home winners were Teh Kew San-Ng Mei Ling in 1965.
While China pose a significant threat to Malaysia’s hopes through top two seeds Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping and Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin, the home pairs’ encouraging performances last year against their formidable rivals has boosted the country’s chances in the tourney.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei memorably stunned Yanzhe-Dongping in the group stage of the Paris Olympics in August while both Soon Huat-Shevon and Pang Ron-Su Yin have beaten Zhenbang-Yaxin in the China Open and Masters respectively.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei also gave China’s four-time Malaysian Open champions Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong a tough fight before losing narrowly in three games in the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou last month.
In the Malaysian tourney, Tang Jie-Ee Wei are the third seeds while Soon Huat-Shevon are seeded fourth.
“China boast world class pairs and we are trying to catch up to them. Our coach (Nova Widianto) is helping us along with our teammates,” said Ee Wei after a training session yesterday.
“We hope to give them a good fight. I’m very happy that Tang Jie and I did a good job in the Tour Finals but we still have more to learn. Malaysian Open is the first tournament of the year and is very important for us as it’s in our home ground.
“We want to do well but we don’t want to put undue pressure on ourselves. We will give our very best,” added Ee Wei.
Based on the draw, Tang Jie-Ee Wei and Soon Huat-Shevon could potentially face Yanzhe-Dongping and Zhenbang-Yaxin respectively in the last four if all the pairs justify their seedings.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei will open their campaign against Taiwan’s Wu Hsuan-yi-Yang Chu-yun while the independent pair play Americans Presley Smith-Jennie Gai.
Pang Ron-Su Yin also face a Taiwanese pair Ming Che-lu-Hung En-tzu in the first round.
Another home representative, world No. 33 Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien have a tougher opening task against Indonesia’s world No. 8 Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuelle.
