Paulus calls on Tang Jie-Yen Wei to topple Thai top seeds

PETALING JAYA: The goal is to pour cold water on the hot run of Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-T. Sapsiree of Thailand in the All-England.

The world No. 1 Thais have been going great guns and showed they were primed for success in the All-England starting today after lifting the German Open title on Sunday.

Unfortunately, unseeded Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei have been drawn to play against Dechapol-Sapsiree in the first round today.

If the Malaysians serve a shocker by upsetting the Thais, they will play the winners of the match between Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Mathias Thyrri-Amalie Magelund of Denmark in the second round.

National mixed doubles coach Paulus Firman said the Thais have raised the bar.

“They are not only good and solid but consistent – that makes it harder for their opponents,” said Paulus.

“We can’t just be at our best with them but will have to bring out the A-game against them.

“I hope our players will take this as a challenge and upset the Thai top seeds to go far.”

The other pairs are Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Ong Yew Sin-Goh Liu Ying.

FIRST DAY FIXTURES

(Malaysians only)

Men’s singles: Liew Daren vs Toma Junior Popov (Fra); Lee Zii Jia vs Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn).

Men’s doubles: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun vs Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn), Tan Wee Kiong-Tan Kian Meng vs Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng); Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi vs Callum Hemming-Steven Stallwood (Eng); Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani vs He Jiting-Tan Qiang (Chn); Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik vs reserves (replacements for Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov of Russia).Women’s doubles: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah vs Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara (Jpn).

Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei vs Dechapol Puavaranukroh-T. Sapsiree, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie vs Mathias Thyrri-Amalie Magelund (Den); Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See vs Venkat Gaurav-Juhi Dewangan (Ind); Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing vs Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Crhystine (Ina); Ong Yew Sin-Goh Liu Ying vs Callum Hemming-Jessica Pugh (Eng).