PETALING JAYA: Tee Kai Wun has proven his all round qualities after stepping up with three different scratch pairings during the Thomas Cup campaign.
The world No. 6 men’s doubles player said he was not surprised when asked to take on the role, as it was part of the team’s tactical plan.
Kai Wun also viewed it as a vote of confidence from the coaching staff to be fielded in every match, although he admitted it was not easy to build understanding with different partners in a short time.
“It’s been a good experience because in these four matches I had to change partners. It’s something new and I think I can learn a lot from it. As a player, I feel I can play both at the front and the back,” said Kai Wun.
“As players, we have to be ready for situations like this. Not everyone can do it. If the coaches choose you, it means you have something and they trust you to deliver.’’
In the Group B opener against England, Kai Wun partnered his regular teammate Man Wei Chong and they defeated Alex Green-Zach Russ.
He was then paired with Soh Wooi Yik against Finland, where they beat Ananda Daniswara-Alvar Melleri.
Kai Wun maintained his fine form in the final Group B tie against Japan, this time partnering Aaron Chia as they defeated Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi.
Interestingly, the Kai Wun-Aaron pairing is not entirely new, as they had previously teamed up to win gold for Melaka at the 2018 Malaysia Games.
Kai Wun was also paired with Goh Sze Fei as the second doubles for the quarter final against China’s Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi, but they did not get the chance to take to the court after Malaysia fell 3-0 to China.
The defeat brought Malaysia’s campaign in the Thomas Cup to an end, as they fell short of their target of ending a 34-year wait for the title, last won in 1992.
