PETALING JAYA: Youngster Chong Jie Yu wasted no time as she packed her bags and left for Denmark yesterday to join the rest of the Uber Cup squad.
The 21-year-old’s excitement is understandable as this will be her first major event at senior level.
Jie Yu has been named as Pearly Tan’s replacement for the Finals from April 24-May 3 in Horsens, Denmark, although national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky had initially felt that the nine-member team were sufficient.
However, Rexy decided yesterday that it would be best for a youngster like Jie Yu to gain experience by being part of the team.
“Jie Yu will join the team’s training camp in Herning, Denmark, as preparations continue for the upcoming tournament,” said BAM in a statement.
It is unclear whether Jie Yu will team up with M. Thinaah, who was supposed to partner Pearly, but simply being part of the team is already a valuable experience.
There is also a possibility of Jie Yu forming a scratch pair with Carmen Ting-Ong Xin Yee or Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan.
On paper, Jie Yu’s inclusion is justified.
Together with Vanessa Ng, they form Malaysia’s third-ranked women’s doubles pair and are currently world No. 64.
However, her ability to rise to the occasion against elite opponents remains untested.
Two weeks ago at the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China, Jie Yu-Vanessa battled through the qualifiers but fell in the first round to fellow Malaysians Carmen-Xin Yee.
She now has to prove herself worthy of the selection if given the chance to play.
Malaysia have been drawn in Group B alongside six-time champions Japan, as well as Turkiye and South Africa.
The last time Malaysia made it past the Uber Cup group stage was in 2010, when the tournament was held in Kuala Lumpur.
