PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei will face their toughest test since becoming world champions when they take on home favourites and world No. 1 Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping in the China Masters semi-finals today.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei showed great resilience by battling past Hong Kong’s world No. 6 Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet 21-12, 12-21, 21-17 in 61 minutes at the Shenzhen Arena yesterday.
The world No. 3 pair struggled for control in the match but still found a way to win, continuing their fine form since capturing the world title in Paris at the end of last month.
“We struggled to control the shuttle due to the windy condition inside the stadium. In the beginning of the first game and in the second, we could have done better,” Tang Jie told the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“Our opponents’ strategy was also good, so we had to tweak our own game plan quickly.”
Ee Wei said: “We have only played against them once before this, so we had to analyse their game well.
“Although we did not play well and made some mistakes, we kept motivating each other and managed to regain our rhythm.”
Yanzhe-Dongping, though, will present a formidable challenge for Tang Jie-Ee Wei.
The world No. 1 pair suffered a shock second-round exit in the world meet but showed that they have quickly regained their form after capturing the Hong Kong Open title on Sunday.
Yanzhe-Dongping also hold the advantage over Tang Jie-Ee Wei after coming out on top six times in their past eight encounters.
The Malaysians, though, are brimming with confidence after their success in Paris and will be aiming to pull off an upset.
Meanwhile, women’s doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah fought hard before going down 21-23, 21-19, 20-22 to South Korea’s Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee in the quarter-finals.
Pearly-Thinaah had a good opportunity to win when they led 20-17 in the third game but could not hold on and lost in an energy sapping 88-minute match.
It was the World Championships silver medallists’ third defeat to world No. 7 Baek Ha-na-Lee-So-hee in six meetings.
“Today’s match was a mental test. Physically, everyone is tired. We kept holding on on court but in the end we rushed too much when had match points,” said Pearly in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Thinaah said: “Our opponents were more patient than us, so this is a lesson for us. We need to learn from this.
It was also over for men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani’s run ended when they went down tamely 16-21, 11-21 to Indonesia’s China Open champions Fajar Alfian-Shohibul Fikri.
World No. 3 Sze Fei-Izzuddin narrowly overcame Fajar-Shohibul in their only meeting previously in the Japan Open quarter-finals in July but could not raise their game this time and lost in just 34 minutes.
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
(Malaysians unless stated)
Men’s singles: Weng Hongyang (Chn) bt Chi Yu-jen (Tpe) 26-24, 21-12; Christo Popov (Fra) bt Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) 21-11, 11-4, ret.
Men’s doubles: Fajar Alfian-Shohibul Fikri (Ina) Bt Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani 21-16, 21-11; Seo Seung-Zae-Kim Won-H (kor) bt takuro hoki-yugo kobayashi (JPN) 11-21, 21-6, 21-17.
Women’s singless: Han Yue (Cn) bt Chen Yfei (Chn) 22-20, 13-21, 21-19; Kim Ga-eun (Cor) bt Wang Zhi And Se-young (Cor) bt PV Sydhu (Ind) 21-14, 21-13; Acare Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt Pustory Quusomers (In) 21-14, 21-11.
Women’s doubles: I don’t know what to do. The 23-21, 19-21, 22-20; Ngang Nga 21-14, 21-12; Rest Ingshu-Tan (Chn) Rina-Kie-Tanga-Tanga-Tanga-Thanks (Jpn) 20-22, 21-16, 21-1
Mixion Org: Navai-eeti Sto-ehit according to the Votep. Fee Eni is the GBT (CN ons GB Hospital for 21-11,11,1 If Zakh:WF (C) from this TCFTS-pressed, Angmai-20. Prepses from Purps, Hosts, Yesufa.
