KUALA LUMPUR – The mixed doubles semi-final between Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and professional duo Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai at the Malaysia Masters was marred by controversy due to the absence of the Hawk-Eye referral system.
The semi-final, a rematch of the Swiss Open final last March, once again went in favour of Soon Huat-Shevon, who won 21-11, 21-19 to secure a spot in tomorrow’s final against Indonesian pair Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas Mentari.
It was a blow for Tang Jie-Ee Wei, who were seeded first in the tournament and were expected to win it.
Immediately after the match, Tang Jie rushed to the players’ lounge for treatment, while Ee Wei, who declined to be interviewed by most of the media, expressed her disappointment at the absence of Hawk-Eye for the second court in this tournament, which she believed was a contributing factor to their defeat.
However, mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto felt that his players had let their emotions get the better of them, leading to a failure to showcase their best performance.
“From my point of view, perhaps the absence of the Hawk-Eye system made them frustrated, but I also believe that even if they could challenge, it doesn’t necessarily mean they would have earned points.
“I saw Soon Huat-Shevon playing more calmly in this match, and they were better than Tang Jie-Ee Wei. They made many easy mistakes, perhaps they were too eager for the championship, feeling pressured, and failed to deliver their best performance. The absence of the challenge system only played a small factor in this match,” said Nova.
Meanwhile, Soon Huat-Shevon also believed that in the future, the organisers should provide Hawk-Eye on the second court as well, just like on the main court.
“As players, we hope to have the opportunity to challenge decisions in every match, promoting fairness for all parties involved.
“When we saw the match draw yesterday, we knew we would be playing on the second court, and we knew there was no Hawk-Eye system because we had played on this court since the first round.
“So we were already prepared for whatever decision the umpire would make,” said Soon Huat.
Despite the controversy, Soon Huat-Shevon remained grateful for their composure, securing their second final slot of the year.
On paper, Soon Huat-Shevon have the better record against Rivaldy-Mentari, having won five of their six previous encounters.
“We hope to end this championship as champions because we have never advanced to the final in this tournament on home soil since 2016.
“Now that we are in the final, it is already a source of pride, and we truly hope to be champions,” said Shevon. – May 25, 2024