PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles shuttler Tee Kai Wun has a wall to scale at the World Championships.
The draw has done him no favours, while he will also reunite with Man Wei Chong for the first time in four months.
World No. 11 Kai Wun-Wei Chong are likely to face compatriots and former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik as early as the third round, barring any upsets, when the tournament begins in New Delhi tomorrow.
The duo will open their campaign against the United States’ Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith, while fourth seeds Aaron-Wooi Yik have a first-round bye.
Kai Wun is bracing himself for the huge challenge.
“For now, we are taking it step by step. We could face our own teammates in the third round, so we just have to play well,” said Kai Wun.
“It is a bit of a pity because we are not in the top eight at the moment. So, we will see. Of course, there is a little bit of regret.”
The World Championships will mark Kai Wun-Wei Chong’s first tournament together since they last played as a pair at the Thomas Cup Finals in Horsens in April.
After the tournament in Horsens, Wei Chong was sidelined for a lengthy period with a right knee injury before the pair were later split up and given new partners as part of head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi’s plans to find the best combinations ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Although they have not played together for four months, Kai Wun does not see it as a major problem.
“I think it’s okay because we haven’t played in tournaments together for quite some time as he was injured, but I think the communication between us is still there,” said Kai Wun.
“I don’t think much has changed because we still train together. It’s just that we don’t know how things will go in a tournament.
“I just hope we don’t play too badly. The most important thing is to bring out whatever we have,” he added.
Kai Wun hopes to improve on last year’s performance in Paris, where he and Wei Chong were one win away from securing at least a bronze medal before losing to South Korea’s Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae in the quarter-finals.
Malaysia’s other men’s doubles representatives in the meet are Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King and former world No. 1 pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
