KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian mixed doubles legend Chan Peng Soon is full of praise for the steady progress and milestones achieved by the national number one duo, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.
World number eight Tang Jie and Ee Wei created history today by becoming the first Malaysian shuttlers to reach the final of the prestigious World Tour Finals in Hangzhou. In the semi-finals, they comfortably defeated independents Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai 21-15, 21-12.
The upcoming final against Olympic champions Zheng Si Wei and Huang Yaqiong tomorrow will mark the pair’s biggest achievement since they were first paired together in late 2022.
Peng Soon, widely regarded as Malaysia’s finest mixed doubles player, believes Tang Jie and Ee Wei are on the right track for even greater success. The retired Olympic silver medallist also credited national mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto for the pair’s rapid development.
“I don’t have much to say because Tang Jie and Ee Wei are doing so well for themselves right now. I’m confident they will play in more finals and win more titles in the future,” said Peng Soon, who previously enjoyed a successful partnership with Goh Liu Ying.
“I also feel that coach Nova is doing an excellent job with Tang Jie and Ee Wei. I’m happy and proud to see them achieving such success,” added Peng Soon, who now runs his own badminton academy, CPS Academy, as well as Malaysia’s largest indoor air-conditioned pickleball court in Subang.
When asked about tomorrow’s final, Peng Soon acknowledged the strength of their opponents but expressed trust in the Malaysian coaching team.
“I think China is the best in mixed doubles at the moment,” he said.
“Whatever the outcome, I trust coach Nova will have the best strategies and ideas for his players.”
Tang Jie and Ee Wei will head into the final as underdogs, having never beaten Si Wei and Yaqiong in their previous four meetings. The Malaysians have yet to win even a game against the Chinese pair, who reunited for one final appearance after Si Wei announced his retirement last month.
Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles, high-flying independents Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani stormed into their maiden World Tour Finals final after defeating Indonesia’s former world number ones Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 17-21, 21-16, 27-25.
Having already completed the full collection of World Tour titles – including the Super 100, 300, 500, 750, and 1000 – world number seven Sze Fei and Izzuddin can add yet another feather to their cap if they triumph in tomorrow’s final.
The Malaysians will face either Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen or Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani. – December 14, 2024