PETALING JAYA: The German Open will always hold a special place in the hearts of mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie.
It was in Mulheim eight years ago that the duo captured their first major title together, and they hope to relive some of that magic when they begin their campaign in this year’s edition starting today.
“I can still remember the joy of winning our first Super 300 title together,” said Soon Huat, now 36.
That triumph came early in their partnership before their marriage in 2024.
It was only their third career title after the Malaysian International Challenge and Scottish Open in 2016, barely a month after they were paired up.
Since then, they have added three more titles to their resume – the higher-ranked Singapore Open in 2018 and the Swiss Open, Malaysian Masters in 2024.
The experienced pair admit the journey has not become any easier.
“Even eight years after winning the German Open, we are still fighting to keep our career going. It has not been easy,” said Soon Huat.
“We keep encouraging each other and stay disciplined and committed to our calling as players.”
Soon Huat welcomed the Badminton World Federation’s move to extend the duration of Super 1000 tournaments in the future, saying the change could benefit senior players if managed well physically.
“We have to adapt to the new format and rules, but most importantly we must take good care of our physical condition,” he added.
For Shevon, 33, the challenge now is keeping pace with a new generation.
“I’m not getting any younger and the younger pairs are gaining ground,” she said.
“At this stage of our career, it’s more about enjoying the process of competing. Our perspective on tournaments is very different now.”
The pair admitted their recent form has been inconsistent but believe they are ready to reset in Germany.
“Our preparation has been good, although we faced some challenges before arriving,” said Shevon.
“The biggest hurdle is getting our performance back because we have struggled in the past few months. We really want to play some good matches again.”
They are slated to play qualifiers in the opening round and their biggest test will probably be against homesters and fourth seeds Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje for a place in the quarter-finals.
