On alert: Chen Tang Jie (back) and Toh Ee Wei are wary of Hong Kong test in last eight. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Fourth seeds Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei will need to stay sharp when they face Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet in the French Open mixed doubles quarter-finals.
Although the reigning world champions Tang Jie–Ee Wei hold a 2-0 record against the world No. 8 pair, they know better than to take anything for granted, especially after a close shave in the second round yesterday.
The Malaysians were stretched to the limit by Taiwan’s Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan before pulling off a 22-20, 17-21, 22-20 win in a thrilling match at the Glaz Arena in Cesson-Sevigne.
The win also brought sweet revenge, having lost to the same Taiwanese pair in the Singapore Open second round in May.
Tang Jie said they would be on full alert this time.
“I think our condition is not the best yet, but we keep learning from the highest-level players. Even when they are not in their best condition, they still manage to overcome,” said Tang Jie in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation.
Added Ee Wei: “The Taiwanese pair were leading 18-15, and we managed to come back. I think it’s good for us, because it came at a crucial point and we managed to overcome it. It’s a learning session for us.”
At the same time, Ee Wei is not letting the spotlight on their tactics bother her, even though their game is now being closely analysed following their world championship triumph in August.
“We never think about that anymore, because the world championships are already behind us. Every day is a new challenge for us.
“I know other opponents are watching our game, but we just need to keep working hard and learn from them as well,” added Ee Wei.
Mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie had to wait four years to return to the French Open quarter-finals, but they now face a stern test as they take on world No. 2 Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping of China.
The husband-and-wife duo ensured a deeper run this time after easing past Scotland’s Alexander Dunn-Julie Macpherson 21-13, 21-10 in the second round.
Since making their debut in the tournament back in 2017, this is only the second time they have reached the last eight. The previous occasion was in 2021 when they fell short of the semi-finals after losing to Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
Having waited this long to make another quarter-final appearance, Soon Huat-Shevon will be eager to go one step further.
However, it will be no easy task as Yanzhe-Dongping hold the psychological edge, having beaten the Malaysians twice before – at last year’s China Open and All-England.
RESULTS
Malaysians only
Second round
Mixed doubles: Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai bt Alexander Dunn-Julie Macpherson (Scot) 21-13, 21-10; Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Ye Hong-wei-Nicole Chan (Tpe) 22-20, 17-21, 22-20.
First round
Men’s singles: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Leong Jun Hao 21-16, 21-15.
Women’s doubles: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah bt Hsu Yin-hui-Lin Jhih-yun (Tpe) 21-16, 22-24, 21-12.
Men’s doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) 15-21, 21-19, 21-11; Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi bt Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy-Sai Pratheek 21-18, 21-13; Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt Leo Carnando-Bagas Maulana (Ina) 21-15, 26-24.
