Resilient: National mixed doubles shuttler Toh Ee Wei-Chen Tang Jie in action against China’s Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping in the semi-finals of the Malaysian Open. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei showed plenty of spunk but it was not good enough to beat China’s world No. 1 Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei went down 19-21, 14-21 in the semi-finals but not after making life difficult for the Chinese pair in the first game at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil on Saturday (Jan 11).
They fought hard in the second game but gave way too many easy points that saw Yangzhe-Dongping living up to their top billing.
Said Ee Wei: "We still have so much to learn from the top players...we’re not good enough yet and haven’t reached their level."
"Losing today is really sad, and we’re so sorry to all the Malaysian fans.
"We never gave up. Hearing their cheers kept us going and I kept encouraging Tang Jie to keep pushing forward.
With their defeat, Malaysia’s nine-year wait for a mixed doubles finalist in the Malaysian Open remains unfulfilled.
Their exit also marked an end to Malaysia’s mixed doubles campaign as independent mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie had earlier lost 21-17, 12-21, 21-16 to Thailand’s newly-paired world No. 57 Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran in another semi-finals match.
Malaysia’s last mixed doubles pair to reach the final of the home tourney was Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying in 2016.
