Creditable outing: Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei stunned Hylo Open champions Rehan Naufal-Lisa Ayu of Indonesia en route to the quarter-finals. — Bernama
NATIONAL mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto believes that Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Hoo Pang Ron-Teoh Mei Xing’s positive showings in the Malaysian Open will give them a fighting chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“My target for both pairs in this tournament was to reach the quarter-finals at least,” said Nova.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei did reach the last eight while Pang Ron-Mei Xing lost in the second round.
“Both pairs put up a good fight in their matches and this is encouraging as this was only their third tournament,” he said.
“My goal remains, which is to get at least one of them to qualify for the Olympics and I believe that based on their showings here, they do stand a chance,” said the Indonesian, who had been appointed at the end of last month.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei stunned world No. 6 Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Hylo Open champions Rehan Naufal-Lisa Ayu of Indonesia before losing to Thailand’s world No. 3 Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai while Pang Ron-Mei Xing toppled Japan’s world No. 16 Kyohei Yamashita-Naru Shinoya but lost to world No. 5 Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue.
Currently, world No. 147 Tang Jie-Ee Wei and world No. 157 Pang Ron-Mei Xing face a battle to make the cut for the Olympics as independent pairs Kian Meng-Pei Jing and world No. 7 Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are very much ahead of them in the race to qualify.
The one-year Olympic qualifying period begins in May and only two pairs from a country can make the cut provided both are ranked in the top eight at the end of the qualifying period.
Despite the tough task ahead, Nova is keeping the faith in his charges.
“I’ve only been coaching both the pairs for a short time and we can see that they have the ability and desire to fight for a spot in the Olympics,” he said.
“In terms of their game play, they do need some polishing up.
“I want them to keep improving after this, so that they can climb up the rankings faster.”
In their first tournament together, Tang Jie-Ee Wei captured the lower-tier Bangladesh International Challenge and finished runners-up to Pang Ron-Mei Xing in the Malaysian International Challenge.
Both pairs are set to cross swords again in the first round of the Indian Open which starts on Tuesday.
