PETALING JAYA: With the 2025 season now behind them, seasoned mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie admit that physical demands have become their biggest challenge as they grow older.
In the current top 10 world mixed doubles rankings, Soon Huat, 35, and Shevon, 32, are among the most senior pairs on the circuit.
They are followed by Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man, 30, and Tse Ying Suet, 34. Ying Suet has hinted that 2026 may be her final year on the Tour as she plans to retire.
Most of their competitors are under 30, which makes it even more challenging for Soon Huat and Shevon to match the speed and stamina of the younger pairs on court.
This year alone, the duo have played in 22 tournaments, including representing the national team at the Asia Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao, China, in February.
“It’s crazy, and that’s not even the maximum number of tournaments we can play. We’ve already had to skip some of the Super 500 and 300 events,” said Shevon.
“I’m not sure we can keep going like this next year. Recovery is extremely challenging.
“It feels like you’re constantly on the move, with no chance to slow down, rest, and then take a few weeks to get back on track. There’s simply no schedule or time frame for that right now.
“For us, especially the older players, it’s really tough,” said Shevon.
Soon Huat-Shevon admitted that, although they did not capture any titles this year, it was still one of their most consistent seasons.
The pair reached the quarter-finals 11 times and advanced to the semi-finals twice, a performance they consider a solid achievement.
At the same time, they acknowledge that as athletes in the elite “Road to Gold” (RTG) programme, they have a responsibility to produce stronger results. Soon Huat and Shevon are determined to work even harder in 2026.
Athletes in the RTG programme next year will face higher expectations, as they must secure a place among the world’s top eight pairs to remain in the initiative.
“Since the start of RTG, we have seen our performance become a bit stagnant at times because we have been unable to make breakthroughs into the later rounds.
“Sometimes, it comes down to our sense of responsibility. We tend to take things very seriously, perhaps too seriously, and put a lot of pressure on ourselves.
“Even though RTG has never questioned us about our results, Soon Huat and I feel that every opportunity carries a huge responsibility.
“We want to perform well to repay what has been given to us. I think we still need to learn how to manage that mindset so it does not affect us too much.
“I believe next year will be an even tougher year for us in terms of ranking. We will need to push harder, but our focus will be on our game first, and the results will follow,” she added.
