Internal affair: Malaysia’s Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie (right) lost to teammates Toh Eei Wei and Hoo Pang Ron in the second round of the Indonesian Open. — AP
PETALING JAYA: Toh Ee Wei and mixed doubles partner Hoo Pang Ron face an uphill battle in the quarter-finals of the Indonesian Open but don’t bet against them from pulling off an upset.
Ee Wei has defied the odds before and is ready to do so again when they face South Korea’s world No. 6 Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yu-jung today.
A year ago, the 22-year-old Ee Wei was diagnosed with bone tuberculosis. But through sheer grit and determination she battled her way back into the reckoning.
At the Istora Senayan Stadium yesterday, Ee Wei, in just her second tournament with new partner Pang Ron, stunned their more experienced compatriots Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 21-19, 21-19.
“I feel so happy to make a comeback after being down with bone tuberculosis for eight months.
“I went through many hours of rehab to get back in shape. I’m so thankful to my coaches and physiotherapist who supported me during this dark episode. They never gave up on me,” said an emotional Ee Wei.
She had been flying high with her former partner Choong Hon Jian last year and had won three lower-tier tournaments – Polish Open, Slovenian International and Austrian Open – before their partnership was curtailed by her ailment.
She made her comeback this year partnering veteran Chan Peng Soon but they failed to achieve the desired result.
Pang Ron-Ee Wei will be joined by Chen Tang Jie-Valeree Siow in the quarter-finals after the pair received a walkover from Indonesia’s world No. 5 Praveen Jordan-Melati Oktavianti.
“We heard from the tournament referee that one of them was injured. We can count ourselves lucky to reach this far,” said Valeree.
However, they have a tough task to make the last four as they face China’s Tokyo Olympic champions Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping.
The Chinese pair ended the hopes of Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See with a 21-11, 21-14 win in just 37 minutes.
Independent pair Soong Joo Ven-Goh Liu Ying also bowed out after a 17-21, 12-21 loss to Japan’s world No. 3 Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino.
In men’s singles, world No. 5 Lee Zii Jia took just 41 minutes to dispatch India’s Sameer Verma 21-10, 21-13.
“I feel like I’m getting used to the crowd here. It’s very good for me. Hopefully everything will be good in the next round,” said Zii Jia.
“My target is to win this tournament. This BWF Super 1000 is a big tournament, hopefully I can focus 100%.”
The 24-year-old will be up against Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew. The reigning world champion defeated France’s Toma Junior Popov 21-16, 21-9.
In other matches, Denmark’s Indonesian Masters champion and top seed Viktor Axelsen eased his way into the last eight with a 21-17, 21-9 win over China’s Lu Guangzu.
Axelsen, who is bidding to defend his title, will take on home player and world No. 6 Anthony Ginting in a repeat of the Indonesian Masters semi-final.
Ginting had defeated another Danish player, veteran Hans Kristina Vittinghus, with the same scoreline in the last 16.
