PETALING JAYA: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun may not qualify for this year’s World Tour Finals, but they still have every reason to smile.
On Saturday, Wei Chong-Kai Wun and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani made it a special day for Malaysia by beating their respective Indonesian opponents to set up an all-Malaysian men’s doubles final at the French Open in the Grand Arena Paris.
With both pairs reaching the final, Malaysia’s 22-year wait for the French Open men’s doubles title is finally over.
Malaysia last won the title through Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat in the 2004 edition.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun defeated Indonesia’s Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin 21-16, 21-15, while Sze Fei-Izzuddin survived a rollercoaster semi-final against another Indonesian pair, Leo Rolly-Daniel Marthin, winning 22-20, 21-9.
Wei Chong probably had the biggest reason to celebrate as it was his best result since reuniting with Kai Wun and returning from a knee injury.
“Tee really played well and covered for me, and there was not so much pressure on me,” said Wei Chong.
“I have not fully recovered from my knee injury, but I’m much better than before. I need some time to fully recover.”
Wei Chong-Kai Wun’s brief absence from the circuit, coupled with their recent stints with different partners, has seen them slip to 42nd in the World Tour Finals rankings.
Only the top eight pairs qualify for the season-ending Finals in China in December, with Sze Fei-Izzuddin currently leading the race.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik moved up to seventh after reaching the Denmark Open final last week, but their withdrawal from Friday’s quarter-final against Wei Chong-Kai Wun in Paris due to injury to Wooi Yik’s has left them in a tricky spot.
FINALS
Women’s singles: An Se-young (Kor) bt P. V. Sindhu (Ind) 16-21, 21- 11, 21-12.
Women’s doubles: Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto (Jpn) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (Mas) 10-21, 21-17, 21-16.
Mixed doubles: Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (Chn) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing (Mas) 21-10, 21-13.
SEMI-FINALS
Men’s singles: Christo Popov (Fra) bt Hu Zhean (Chn) 21-14, 21-10; Moh Zaki Ubaidillah (Ina) bt Alex Lanier (Fra) 21-16, 16-21, 21-17.
Men’s doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (Mas) bt Leo Rolly-Daniel Marthin (Ina) 22-20, 21-9; Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (Mas) bt Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin (Ina) 21-16, 21-15.
Women’s singles: An Se-young (Kor) bt Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) 21-12, 21-10; P. V. Sindhu (Ind) bt Hina Akechi (Jpn) 21-10, 20-22, 21-16.
Women’s doubles: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (Mas) bt Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) 21-17, 22-20; Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto (Jpn) bt Rachel Allessya-Febi Setianingrum (Ina) 21-18, 21-15.
Mixed doubles: Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing (Mas) bt Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui (Chn) 21-13, 21-9; Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (Chn) bt Thom Giquel-Delphine Delrue (Fra) 19-21, 21-17, 21-19.
