Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei. - AFP
PETALING JAYA: World champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei have to beat Denmark's world No. 10 Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje at the Indonesian Masters final on Sunday (Jan 25) to win their first title of the year.
And they look bent on achieving it.
On Saturday, they defeated world No. 2 pair Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin of China 21-17, 21-12 in just 33 minutes in the semi-finals at Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
Doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky was happy with Tang Jie-Ee Wei's win but wants his charges to remain focused and go all out to win the title.
"All I can say is Tang Jie-Ee Wei need to stay focused for the final," said Rexy.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei do have a slight advantage over Christiansen-Boje, having beaten them twice in their past three encounters but the Danish pair came out on top in their last clash in the last four of the Macau Open and will again present a tricky proposition.
Christiansen-Boje home favourites Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu 20-22, 21-19, 21-17 in another thrilling semi-finals.
It was also joy for both Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women’s doubles) and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (men’s doubles) after both made it into their respective final events.
Pearly-Thinaah ousted homesters Apriyani Rahayu-Lanny Tria 21-15, 21-9 while Sze Fei-Izzuddin secured an equally impressive 21-9, 21-15 win over Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard.
It was back-to-back finals for the world No. 2 pair in the competition after finishing runners-up to South Korea’s Kim Hye-jeong-Kong Hee-yong last year.
Pearly-Thinaah will be out to go one better when they take on Japan’s new pairing Arisa Igarashi-Miyu Takahashi for the title.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin will face homesters Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin after the world No. 23 duo stunned world No. 7 teammates Sabar Gutama-Moh Reza 21-19, 21-14 in the other last four match.
The world No. 9 independent pair will be attempting to end their title drought after last triumphing in the Indian Open last January.
