PETALING JAYA: From seven pairs at the start of the Korean Open, only Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Chia Wei Jie-Teo Ee Yi remain in contention for Malaysia.
And the focus will be on Wei Jie-Ee Yi after they pulled off the biggest upset of the opening round by beating China’s world No. 11 Chen Boyang-Liu Yi 21-14, 21-19 yesterday.
The win was a much-needed boost for the world No. 39 pair after a disappointing run of four tournaments in Europe last month.
But Wei Jie-Ee Yi will now be looking to prove that they can do more than just upset higher-ranked opponents.
They are still chasing their first podium finish since forming their partnership in April.
Wei Jie-Ee Yi beat China’s Hu Keyuan-Lin Xiang Yi in the second round of the Macau Open in June, only to bow out in the quarter-finals.
It was a similar story at the China Masters in September when they stunned Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi in the opening round before losing in the next.
They will have another chance to go further when they face Taiwan’s He Zhi-wei-Huang Jui-hsuan for a place in the quarter-finals.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will also be in second-round action tomorrow against Taiwan’s Chen Zhi-ray-Lin Yu-chieh.
They recovered from a game down to beat fellow Malaysians Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong 12-21, 21-8, 21-12 in the first round at the Jinnam Stadium in Yeosu yesterday.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will also take confidence from having beaten Zhi-ray-Yu-chieh in their previous meeting at the Singapore Open in May last year.
Another Malaysian, Goh V Shem, could also join them in the second round if he and his South Korean partner Choi Sol-gyu get past Hyun Su-min-Lee Sang-min in their opening match today.
