Ready for another go: Tan Wee Kiong has only missed three editions of the All-England in 2020, 2023 and 2024.
KUALA LUMPUR: Professional men’s doubles shuttler Tan Wee Kiong hopes to make his 10th appearance at the All-England next year despite an early exit this time.
The 35-year-old, partnering Nur Azriyn Ayub, saw his campaign cut short in the first round after a 14-21, 12-21 defeat to South Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk and Kim Dong-ju.
Since making his debut in 2013, Wee Kiong has only missed three editions of the prestigious tournament in 2020, 2023 and 2024.
Notably, he has competed with four different partners over the years, starting with Hoon Thien How, followed by Goh V Shem and later Tan Kian Meng in the 2022 edition.
However, the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist admits that his return next year depends on several factors, given his age and the demands of competition.
“I don’t know, this might be my last All-England. But if everything falls into place, my condition, training and partner, I would love to come back next year,” said Wee Kiong.
Retirement is a question that Wee Kiong has faced more than once, especially as many of his former teammates have already called time on their careers.
From the Rio 2016 Olympic squad, only he and Goh V Shem remain active, while the likes of Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Tee Jing Yi, Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei and Chang Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying have all stepped away from the sport.
Wee Kiong also feels that the world’s oldest tournament has undergone many changes since he first competed more than a decade ago, with the most noticeable difference being the colour of the court, which is now grey.
The grey court at Utilita Arena in Birmingham was introduced last year to mark the 125th edition of the All-England, replacing the previous green surface.
“The colour of the court has certainly changed over the years. I don’t mind it because it’s quite fun to play on different court colours,” he added.
With their All-England campaign over, Wee Kiong-Azriyn will now turn their focus to the Swiss Open which starts tomorrow, where they will face Denmark’s Jesper Toft-Andreas Sondergaard in the first round.
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