KUALA LUMPUR: National coaching director Rexy Mainaky has branded shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei’s performances in the Malaysian Masters as unacceptable.
World No. 4 men’s doubles pair Aaron-Wooi Yik and world No. 9 mixed doubles duo Tang Jie- Ee Wei failed to justify their top seedings in the home tourney when they lost in the last eight and semi-finals respectively.
Aaron-Wooi Yik surprisingly went down 21-11, 19-21, 19-21 to South Korea’s Jin Yong-Na Sung-seung while Tang Jie-Ee Wei were equally disappointing in their 11-21, 19-21 defeat to world No. 18 compatriots Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
Rexy pulled no punches in his frank assessment of both the pair’s showings just two months away from the Paris Olympics.
“Aaron-Wooi Yik and Tang Jie-Ee Wei missed out on a great opportunity to win the title as many top pairs chose not to play in this tournament,” said Rexy.
“Frankly speaking, their performances are unacceptable. They should have been playing without pressure as they don’t have to fight to qualify for the Olympics anymore.
“This is only a World Tour Super 500 level tournament and they will face far greater pressure in the Olympics. They need to realise where they went wrong and do better after this.”
Rexy felt that Aaron-Wooi Yik lacked fire against Jin Yong-Sung-seung in the second and third games.
“Aaron-Wooi Yik should have won the match after taking the first game easily,” said Rexy.
“Instead, it looked like they lacked fire in the second and third games.
“Their smashes were not strong enough and they made many mistakes. Honestly, I don’t regret that they lost to the Koreans but I feel sad that they lost because of their own mistakes.”
On Tang Jie-Ee Wei’s defeat, Rexy said: “They played badly against Soon Huat-Shevon. Both were out of sync on court and everything they tried to do did not work.
“Ee Wei is the kind of person who does not like to lose but I told her that she needs to accept this defeat and learn from it. If she does not do so, she will not know her weaknesses and cannot improve. I hope both pairs can fight back in their next tournaments.”
Both pairs don’t have much time to dwell on their defeats as they turn their attention to the Singapore Open next which starts tomorrow.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will open their campaign in the Lion City against Taiwan’s Chang Ko-chi-Po Li-wei while Tang Jie-Ee Wei will play teammates Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin in the first round.
