PETALING JAYA: Could China’s decision to split top men’s doubles pair Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang in the Swiss Open from March 18-23 in Basel pay off?
The Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) have decided to combine Weikeng with Huang Di while Wang Chang will partner Liu Yi in the World Tour Super 300 competition.
Former world No. 1 and Paris Olympics silver medallists Weikeng-Wang Chang have not maintained their usual high standards since capturing the Denmark Open title last October.
The duo did not reach the semi-finals in any of their tournaments since their triumph in Odense.
Weikeng-Wang Chang missed out on a spot in the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou last December and lost to South Korea’s Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho twice in the second round and last eight of the Malaysian Open and Indian Open respectively last month.
China are not the first country to shake up their top pair as South Korea also have been experimenting with their combinations.
Seung-jae, who captured the 2023 world title with Kang Min-hyuk, has been tried out with Won-ho and Jin Yong with plenty of success.
The 27-year-old won the China Masters and Thailand Masters with Jin Yong and emerged champions in the Malaysian Open with Won-ho.
Seung-jae-Won-ho also came close to claiming the Indian Open title but were denied by Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the final.
Weikeng-Wang Chang will still play together in the Orleans Masters (March 4-9) in France and All-England (March 11-16) and will be out to regain their best form.
Meanwhile, based on the registered names released, Malaysia will only be represented in the men’s doubles by Sze Fei-Izzuddin and fellow independent pairs Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong in the Swiss tourney.
Top Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) combos Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi have instead been registered for the Orleans Masters before the All-England.
