Malaysia’s Toh Ee Wei and Chen Tang. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Hopes of an all-Malaysian final in the mixed doubles event at the Macau Open were dashed after top seeds Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei fell in the semi-finals on Saturday (Aug 2).
Playing at the Macau East Asian Games Dome, Tang Jie-Ee Wei started brightly against Denmark’s Alexandra Boje and Mathias Christiansen, who recently returned to competition after serving a one-year suspension for failing to comply with anti-doping whereabouts requirements.
But the Malaysians were unable to maintain their momentum as the match slipped into a decider. After a 54-minute battle, they went down 21-15, 17-21, 11-21.
The Danes will face another Malaysian pair Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing in the title match.
Earlier, Jimmy-Pei Jing secured their place in the final after overcoming Indonesia’s sixth seeds Amri Syahnawi-Nita Marwah 21-18, 21-16.
It will be Jimmy and Pei Jing's fourth final of the year, but reaching the final in Macau is considered their biggest feat yet, with the tournament carrying Super 300 status.
In the men’s doubles, Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King emerged victorious in an all-Malaysian semi-final clash, beating Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri 21-13, 21-15.
Arif-Roy King will take on the winners of the other semi-final between top seeds Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Isfahani of Indonesia and Taiwan’s Lee Fang-chih-Lee Fang-jen.
