KUALA LUMPUR — Although they fell short of ending Malaysia’s 19-year wait for a mixed doubles title at the China Masters, Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin showed promising progress, signalling the emergence of strong future contenders for Malaysia’s mixed doubles squad.
The national duo lost to home favourites Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in a hard-fought final, 21-23, 25-23, 21-16.
Nevertheless, reaching their maiden Super 750 final is a significant milestone for Pang Ron, who made his return to a BWF World Tour final after five years.
His last appearance was at the 2019 Hyderabad Open, where he won the title alongside Cheah Yee See.
Throughout the tournament, Pang Ron and Su Yin made impressive strides, defeating notable opponents, including 2023 World Championship bronze medalists Wei Ya Xin and Jiang Zhen Bang in the second round, as well as third seeds Tse Ying Suet and Tang Chun Man from Hong Kong in the semi-finals.
Their rise signals renewed hope for Malaysia’s mixed doubles future, adding healthy competition to the current pairs, especially after BAM struggles to produce new top-tier mixed doubles partnerships beyond Cheng Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.
“Of course, I’m disappointed because we were just one championship point away, but we gave it our all. Today, they were simply better than us,” said Pang Ron in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“As I always say, we had no pressure; we just went in there and fought hard. We had our game plan, and they had theirs, but maybe during the crucial points, they used their experience to adapt quickly. Unfortunately, we couldn’t secure that one point.”
“That said, I’m very happy with our performance, and I hope we can keep improving, gain more confidence, and prepare well for next year’s Malaysia Open,” he added.
Six months ago, before his retirement, Rio Olympic silver medalist Chan Peng Soon urged the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to strengthen the national mixed doubles squad, emphasising that the discipline is often seen as a fallback for players who don’t excel in singles or doubles.
With several senior mixed doubles players turning professional, Malaysia’s national squad has largely relied on Tang Jie and Ee Wei as the standout pair, while others continue to find their footing.
Although Pang Ron and Su Yin have no more tournaments lined up for the rest of the year, their world ranking is expected to improve from their current position of 23rd, thanks to their impressive performance at the China Masters. — November 24, 2024