Pushing the limits: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei in action against China’s Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin during the mixed doubles final. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei made a winning return in the Australian Open but teammates Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin suffered a shock defeat.
Tang Jie, who was making his comeback with Ee Wei after skipping the Hylo Open and Japan Masters due to a shoulder injury, got off to a good start by beating fellow Malaysians Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien 21-19, 21-9 in 39 minutes at the Sydney Olympic Park yesterday.
It was a different story though for Pang Ron-Su Yin after they surprisingly went down 21-14, 16-21, 18-21 to unheralded homesters Andika Ramadiansyah-Nozomi Shimizu.
The world No. 21 pair were not expected to face many problems against Ramadiansyah-Shimizu, who are ranked a lowly 153rd in the world, but could not maintain their performance after winning the first game and lost in 62 minutes.
World No. 27 independent pair Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing also could not find a way past Indonesia's world No. 11 Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu, losing 16-21, 18-21.
Their compatriots' early exits meant that Tang Jie-Ee Wei were the only Malaysians left in the mixed doubles in the competition.
The reigning world champions will next face Taiwan's world No. 45 Liu Kuang-heng-Jheng Yu-chieh for a place in the quarter-finals.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei will be keen to justify their status as the top seeds in the tournament and end their World Tour title drought this year.
The world No. 4 duo have a good opportunity to capture the crown in the absence of the other top 10 pairs in the world.
Meanwhile, men's doubles pair Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi also booked their spot in the second round after brushing past homesters Philip Halim-Landon Kurniawan 21-8, 21-11.
Roy King-Arif will next face Malaysia's Goh V Shem and South Korean Choi Sol-gyu, who had beaten another Australian duo Raphael Deloy-Adam Jeffrey 21-8, 21-13 on Tuesday.
In the men's singles, Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin also made a winning start after defeating teammate Eogene Ewe 21-15, 21-12.
Aidil will take on either Indonesia's Jonatan Christie or Japan's Yushi Tanaka next.
In the women's singles, world No. 49 Wong Ling Ching set up a clash with Canada's world No. 17 Michelle Li after sweeping aside New Zealand's Amy Wang 21-10, 21-11.
Ling Ching stunned Michelle at the same stage in the Japan Masters last week and will be keen to pull off an upset again.
World No. 41 K. Lethshanaa though narrowly missed out on a big win after going down fighting 18-21, 21-16, 1`8-21 to Thailand's world No. 14 Supanida Katethong.
