From left mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto, Rexy Mainaky, Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) national director of coaching, mixed doubles pair Chen Tan Jie and Toh Ee Wei and BAM secretary Datuk Kenny Goh.
KUALA LUMPUR: Just shy of a perfect 10.
That is Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) coaching director Rexy Mainaky's assessment of national top mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei following their remarkable feat of finishing runners-up at the World Tour Finals 2024 in Hangzhou, China, on Sunday.
Rexy said Tang Jie-Ee Wei played with focus from day one of the annual season-finale in Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium and did not waste their chance to clear the group stage.
“After that (the group stage), they played with more confidence and believed they could go far,” he said.
Their bid to clinch the Finals title was dashed by home pair and Paris 2024 Olympic Games gold medallists Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong, who won 21-18, 14-21, 21-17 in the final.
Rexy hoped to see Tang Jie-Ee Wei maintain their focus during training by constantly working on areas that need improvement.
The Indonesian gave a score of seven out of 10 to both national men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and national women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah after they failed to advance to the last four.
Malaysian professional men's doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani emerged as runners-up in the tournament, losing 17-21, 21-17, 11-21 to world number three Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark in the final. - Bernama
