Ee Yi ever ready to strut his stuff with Yew Sin in Thomas Cup Finals

Superb partnership: Teo Ee Yi (front) and Ong Yew Sin won the World Championships bronze last year.

PETALING JAYA: From a world junior champion to the oldest player in the Thomas Cup Finals doubles squad, shuttler Teo Ee Yi has certainly come a long way in his badminton career.

Today, the 29-year-old Ee Yi and partner Ong Yew Sin may get a chance to play as the second doubles when Malaysia take on England in the opening Group D tie if the coaches decide to rest Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.

The first doubles will be Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik.

Ee Yi, who did the country proud by winning a bronze at the last World Championships with Yew Sin, is just happy to be in the team and feature in his third Thomas Cup outing.

He was in the 2016 squad in Kunshan but did not play in any ties.

However, he was teamed up with Aaron as the second doubles at the edition in Bangkok in 2018.

“I can’t believe that I’m the oldest player in the doubles squad but I’ve been taking the role seriously,” said Ee Yi, who is currently ranked 11th in the world with Yew Sin.

“They know that I’m here for them if they need to talk about anything.

“The bond is close. In fact, I know Izzuddin well. Both of us are from Muar and have trained in the same junior programme.”

Ee Yi is the only world junior champion left in the national team. In fact, he is the last Malaysian to win a world junior boys’ doubles title with Nelson Heg at the 2011 edition in Taiwan.

“I still have the passion to represent Malaysia and win honours,” he said.

As for the match against England, Ee Yi does not want the team to take them lightly, although their opposing 10-member team have listed new faces.

The only seniors are Toby Penty and Ben Lane-Sean Vardy.

“We will take the challenge from every team seriously,” he added.

On paper, Malaysia should win against England.

The next tie will be against the United States tomorrow and Japan the following day.