KUALA LUMPUR: There are lessons to learn from every defeat and it’s no different for mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei at the Orleans Masters.
Top seeds Tang Jie-Ee Wei fell to a shock defeat to world No. 173 Rehan Kusharjanto-Gloria Widjaja of Indonesia in the second round in France this week.
Their game was littered with mistakes and several umpiring calls that went against them also affected their emotions on court.
The duo will have the perfect chance to make amends when they meet the same Indonesian duo in the opening round of the All-England next week.
And mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto has urged them to move on from the setback in France and shift their focus to producing a stronger performance in Birmingham.
“They made too many mistakes. The All-England is a prestigious tournament, and I hope they can bounce back there,” said Nova.
“That said, I’ve reminded them not to dwell too much on this result. What matters more is putting on a stronger performance next week.’’
It was a different script for their teammates as Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin battled their way into the quarter-finals with a gritty 16-21, 21-13, 21-16 win over Taiwan’s Lu Ming-che and Hung En-tzu.
They will now face Rehan-Gloria for a place in the last four.
In the women’s doubles, second seeds Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah overcame a tough challenge from South Korea’s Jeong Na-eun-Lee Yeon-woo and prevailed 22-20, 11-21, 21-14 to set up a showdown with China’s Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian.
Teammates Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing also put in a solid display, defeating Indonesia’s Meilysa Puspitasari and Rachel Rose 21-18, 21-15. They will now take on South Korea’s sixth seeds, Kim Hye-jong and Kong Hee-yong.
Meanwhile, men’s singles ace Lee Zii Jia will go up against Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen, who is coached by former Malaysian shuttler Iskandar Zulkarnain.
Zii Jia was in commanding form in the second round, sweeping past former world No. 1 K. Srikanth of India 21-11, 21-17.
In the men’s doubles, Malaysia’s last remaining pair, Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Yap Roy King, will take on fourth seeds Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan of Taiwan.
Results(Malaysians only)
SECOND ROUND
Men’s singles: Lee Zii Jia bt K. Srikanth (Ind) 21-11, 21-17.
Men’s doubles: Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King bt Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith (US) 21-18, 21-11.
Women’s doubles: Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing bt Meilysa Puspitasari-Rachel Rose (Ina) 21-18, 21-15; Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah bt Jeong Na-eun-Lee Yeon-woo (Kor) 22-20, 11-21, 21-14.
Mixed doubles: Rehan Kusharjanto-Gloria Widjaja (Ina) bt Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei 8-21, 17-21; Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin bt Lu Ming-che-Hung En-tzu (Tpe) 16-21, 21-13, 21-16.
