PETALING JAYA: An encouraging showing in her debut Sudirman Cup has given Toh Ee Wei a fresh boost ahead of the Malaysian Masters starting tomorrow at the Axiata Arena.
National mixed doubles shuttler Ee Wei had played a pivotal role along with her partner Chen Tang Jie in helping Malaysia win a bronze in the mixed team meet in Suzhou.
World No. 22 Tang Jie-Ee Wei, who had progressed rapidly since being paired together last December, had won all their matches in the Sudirman Cup except in the semi-final tie against South Korea.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei had defeated both Taiwan’s and Denmark’s top pairs Ye Hong-wei-Lee Chia-hsin and Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje in the group stage and quarter-finals respectively.
In the last four against South Korea, the Malaysian pair had given world No. 5 Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yu-jung a good fight in the opening game before running out of gas to lose 21-11, 13-21, 7-21.
“This was my first Sudirman Cup and it was great to fight for the team,” said Ee Wei.
“Tang Jie and I did well overall but there is still room for improvement.
“We now need to keep our focus for the Malaysian Masters and prepare well.”
In the home tourney, Tang Jie-Ee Wei need to be on their toes right from the beginning as they open their campaign against Indonesia’s world No. 13 Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas.
This will be the first meeting between both pairs in international tournaments.
Rinov-Pitha are ranked second in Indonesia after world No. 10 Rehan Naufal-Lisa Ayu.
A win over the Indonesians will see Tang Jie-Ee Wei face either Christiansen-Boje again or Holland’s world No. 11 Robin Tabeling-Selena Piek in the second round.
The other Malaysian representatives in the fray are independent pairs Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (No. 8), Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (No. 16) and Chen Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See (No. 33).
Soon Huat-Shevon will play Indonesia’s world No. 40 Praveen Jordan-Melati Daeva in the first round while Kian Meng-Pei Jing will meet Thailand’s world No. 14 Supak Jomkoh-Supissara Paewsampran.
Peng Soon-Yee See are set to start from the qualifying round against Indonesia’s world No. 54 Adnan Maulana-Nita Violina.
The Malaysian tourney is the first individual tournament offering ranking points for qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
