PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (pic) have rediscovered their mojo after a tough start to the year.
The world champions struggled to produce their best form and suffered disappointing exits in the quarter-finals and first round of the Malaysian and Indian Opens respectively but rebounded in style by toppling China’s world No. 2 Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin to power into the Indonesian Masters final yesterday.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei were pumped-up from the start and played brilliantly to come away with a 21-17, 21-12 win in just 33 minutes at Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
The victory was a repeat of Tang Jie-Ee Wei’s memorable World Championships final win in Paris last August.
Zhenbang-Yaxin had beaten the world No. 4 duo twice since the world meet in the last four of the Denmark Open and World Tour Finals last year but this time the latter were not to be denied as they claimed their third win over the Chinese pair in eight meetings.
Standing in their way to the title today are Denmark’s world No. 10 Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje.
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 today.
“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.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, world No. 42 K. Letshanaa’s fine run ended after she went down 15-21, 17-21 to Thailand’s 2023 world junior champion and world No. 36 Pitchamon Opatniputh.
Meanwhile, men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are out to end their title drought after overcoming Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard in the last four. They will take on homesters and surprise finalists Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin for the title today.
Women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah also booked their spot in the final after beating homesters Apriyani Rahayu-Lanny Tria and will face Japan’s new pairing Arisa Igarashi-Miyu Takahashi in the final.
