Good fight: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei beat Indonesia’s rising pair Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu to advance. — AP
PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Toh Ee Wei displayed great fighting spirit when she battled through flu and cough to reach the China Masters mixed doubles quarter-finals with Chen Tang Jie.
Ee Wei, who captured the world title with Tang Jie in Paris, had a tough time along with the latter against Indonesia’s rising pair Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu but managed to dig deep to come away with a 21-13, 13-21, 21-16 win at the Shenzhen Arena yesterday.
Remarkably, Ee Wei said she had fever before the tournament and still had flu and cough but managed to win thanks to Tang Jie’s support.
“Before the tournament, I was having fever. I still have flu and cough now,” Ee Wei told the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“Tang Jie and I kept discussing about our game plan and the key to this win was the trust we have in each other.”
Tang Jie said: “Both of us have the ability to lead the other on court but because she did not feel well today (yesterday), it was my time to make it easier for her on court.
“Doubles is about teamwork. Communication is very important for both of us. We are glad that we could win the match.”
The victory tasted sweeter for Ee Wei as it came on her 25th birthday.
She is out to continue her fine form with Tang Jie when they take on Hong Kong’s world No. 6 Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet next for a place in the last four.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei, who are currently ranked No. 3 in the world, have a slight advantage over Chun Man-Ying Suet after beating the latter in their sole meeting so far in the 2023 Arctic Open.
Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for world No. 8 independent pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin after crashing out in the second round.
There was better fortunes for men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik after both pairs reached the quarter-finals in contrasting styles.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin beat Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan 21-16, 22-20 and will face China Open champions Fajar Alfian-Shohibul Fikri of Indonesia.
It was sweet revenge for the world No. 3 Sze Fei-Izzuddin after they lost to the world No. 13 pair in the third round of the world meet.
“Thankfully, we could avoid the same mistakes that we did in the world meet,” said Izzuddin. “We are trying to regain our confidence after struggling in the past few tournaments.”
Aaron-Wooi Yik made life difficult for themselves after scrapping through a narrow 14-21, 21-15, 25-23 win over England’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy in a gripping 72-minute second round match.
The world No. 2 pair avenged their defeat to the English duo in the Hong Kong Open first round last week and play the winners of the match between teammates Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Indonesia’s Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana.
The campaign of Leong Jun Hao in the men’s singles after losing 11-21, 21-19, 8-21 to Li Shifeng of China.
SECOND ROUND RESULTS
(Malaysians only)
Men’s singles: Li Shifeng (Chn) bt Leong Jun Hao 21-11, 19-21, 21-8.
Men’s doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan (Tpe) 21-16, 22-20; Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) 14-21, 21-15, 25-23.
Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu (Ina) 21-13, 13-21, 21-16; Ye Hong-wei-Nicole Chan (Tpe) bt Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 21-6, 16-21, 21-12; Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (Chn) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin 16-21, 21-7, 21-10.
