Petaling Jaya, October 28, 2024 – The Europe Today: Several top mixed doubles pairs have ended their partnerships this year, paving the way for Malaysia’s national No. 1 pair, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, to advance in the world rankings.
With Japan’s world No. 5 duo, Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino; Thailand’s world No. 8 pair, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai; and South Korea’s Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung (world No. 4) all parting ways, the global mixed doubles scene has witnessed a major shakeup. Additionally, Hong Kong’s world No. 7, Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet, have hinted at a split by the end of this year.
National mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto sees this as an excellent opportunity for Tang Jie and Ee Wei, who currently hold the world No. 9 ranking, to climb the ranks. “With so many top 10 pairs no longer competing together, this is an ideal moment for Tang Jie and Ee Wei to seize their chance and elevate their position,” he stated. “Higher rankings could secure them a seeded position in tournaments, easing their path to the later rounds.”
Coach Nova highlighted that while Tang Jie and Ee Wei have the potential to perform at higher levels, they must also develop stronger emotional resilience. “Tang Jie and Ee Wei sometimes let excitement and pressure impact their performance,” Nova remarked. “We encourage them to enjoy the game while maintaining a competitive edge, but they must remain focused without getting overwhelmed by the desire to win.”
The Malaysian pair recently missed both the Arctic and Denmark Opens due to Ee Wei’s hand and back injuries but is set to return for the Japan Masters from Nov 12-17 and the China Masters from Nov 19-27. They will, however, skip the Korean Masters from Nov 5-10, having already secured a spot in the season-ending World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, Dec 11-15, for the second consecutive year.
Nova has set ambitious goals for Tang Jie and Ee Wei, aiming for a semi-final appearance at the Tour Finals. “Last year, they narrowly missed out on reaching the last four in their debut Tour Finals,” Nova said. “This year, I believe they have an even better chance of progressing to the semi-finals.”
With the evolving landscape in the mixed doubles category, Nova hopes Tang Jie and Ee Wei can finish the year strong and capitalize on the new competitive dynamics in their pursuit of success.
