Liang Weikeng (right) and Wang Chang during a training session at the Axiata Arena —LOW BOON TAT/THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese shuttlers Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang are certainly following in the footsteps of their legendary seniors Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun.
Haifeng-Cai Yun had enjoyed huge success in their heyday, going on to capture the Olympic gold and World Championships titles four times among various other accolades.
With the men’s doubles becoming even more competitive after the pair called it a day, many young pairs have aspired to but have not been able to come close.
Weikeng-Wang Chang could finally be the ones to fill the void left behind by Haifeng-Cai Yun in their quick rise to the world No. 1 position.
Weikeng, 23, and Wang Chang, 22, were only paired together in 2022 but had clicked almost instantly.
The pair made heads turn by winning the Japan Open that year which was only their fifth tournament together.
Weikeng-Wang Chang had stunned experienced pairs such as Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto, Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan and Denmark’s Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen en route to the title.
Last year, the Chinese duo went on to win the Opens in India, China, Thailand and the China Masters.
They also won a bronze in the World Championships and finished runners-up in the prestigious season-ending World Tour Finals.
Weikeng-Wang Chang have now established themselves as one of the contenders to recapture the gold for China won by Haifeng and Zhang Nan at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) president Zhang Jun though does not want his charges to get carried away just yet.
“We don’t want to think about what they have achieved before this,” said Zhang Jun after overseeing the Chinese team’s training session ahead of the Malaysian Open which starts tomorrow at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
“They need to keep their focus on the tournaments this year and treat every match like a final as the competition in the men’s doubles is very stiff.”
Weikeng-Wang Chang, who finished runners-up to Fajar-Rian in the home tourney last year, will take on national pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the first round.
