Tough challenge: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei are drawn against world No. 1 Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong in their opening match.
PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei have vowed to give home favourites and world No.
1 Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong a run for their money in the first round of the Asian Championships from April 9-14 in Ningbo, China.
World No. 9 Tang Jie-Ee Wei face a daunting task right from the start in the tournament after being drawn against Siwei-Yaqiong in their opening match but are not about to throw in the towel just yet.
The Chinese duo are the only pair in the world’s current top 10 bracket that Tang Jie-Ee Wei have never beaten.
The latter are yet to even win a game against Siwei-Yaqiong, losing three times in straight games in the Hangzhou Asian Games, Japan Masters and Open last year.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei, though, have stunned the likes of Japan’s world No. 2 Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino and Thailand’s 2021 world champions Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai and are now out to claim another scalp.
“My mindset is always the same when I play in any tournament and I want to win,” said Tang Jie.
“Ee Wei and I will give everything to try to beat the Chinese pair.”
If they can pull off what will be the biggest win of their careers over Siwei-Yaqiong, it will be another feather in the cap for Tang Jie-Ee Wei, who have showed fine progress since being combined at the end of 2022.
The duo overtook seniors and independent pairs Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Tan Kian Mei-Lai Pei Jing to become the No. 1 mixed doubles pair in the country less than a year after forming a partnership.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei are also the only Malaysian mixed pair to book a spot in the Paris Olympics in July where they will be making their debut.
The pair, though, are still searching for consistency and yet to win a title this year.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei came close twice in the Thailand Masters in January and Swiss Open last month but had to settle for the runners-up spot after losing to Dechapol-Sapsiree and Soon Huat-Shevon respectively.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei will have opportunities to end their title drought before the Olympics as besides the Asian meet, they will also compete in the Malaysian Masters (May 21-26), Singapore Open (May 28-June 2) and Indonesian Open (June 4-9).
