Short break: Chen Tang Jie (left) skips Hylo Open with Toh Ee Wei due to shoulder injury.
PETALING JAYA: Injuries have put paid to shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee’s hopes of competing in the Hylo Open which starts on Tuesday in Saarbrucken, Germany.
With most of the world’s top pairs electing to skip the competition, both Tang Jie-Ee Wei and Mei Xing-Pei Kee had a good chance to capture their maiden World Tour title this year in the mixed doubles and women’s doubles respectively but have been forced to pull out of the tourney.
Tang Jie picked up a right shoulder injury during the ongoing French Open in Cesson Sevigne.
Initially, Ee Wei said that the issue would not stop the duo from competing in Germany but coach Nova Widianto does not want to take any chances with his charges.
“Tang Jie has suffered a right shoulder injury and the pair have withdrawn from the Hylo Open,” said Nova.
“He will undergo an assessment to determine the extent of the injury when he returns home.”
Meanwhile, Pei Kee picked up a left ankle sprain which forced her and Mei Xing to concede a walkover in their first round match against China’s Li Yijing-Luo Xumin in the French tourney.
“According to women’s doubles coach Rosman Razak’s report, Pei Kee sprained her ankle during training a day before the French Open started,” said doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky.
“We tried to help her recover but her condition made it hard for her to play. They will pull out of the Hylo Open too.”
While the injury will not derail Tang Jie-Ee Wei’s chances of qualifying for the prestigious World Tour Finals as they have already booked their spot in the season ending tournament from Dec 17-21 in Hangzhou after claiming the world title in Paris in August, Mei Xing-Pei Kee’s hopes of making the cut for the first time now looks over.
Only the top eight pairs in the Race to Finals rankings can qualify and the duo, who currently sit in 14th spot seem to have run out of time to book their spot.
Both Tang Jie-Ee Wei and Mei Xing-Pei Kee will next be hoping to make a return in the Japan Masters from Nov 11-16 in Kumamoto.
