Tang Jie-Ee Wei clear first round, but yet to regain synergy on court

The Star

2 days ago

PETALING JAYA: Regaining rhythm and rebuilding chemistry is never easy, even after a short separation.
That's the challenge facing mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (pic), who are still trying to rediscover their synergy on court after being reunited recently.
The duo cleared their opening hurdle at the Indonesian Open yesterday, defeating India's Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto 21-11, 16-21, 21-14. But it was far from a convincing display.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei looked tense at times and struggled to find answers against their resilient opponents, but did just enough to pull through to the second round.
'I think they're always tough opponents because they're aggressive, physically strong and skilful,' said Tang Jie in an interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
'Like Toh (Ee Wei), I'm still trying to regain my rhythm on court. That's why we keep pushing, stay motivated and support each other to get it back.'
The Indonesian Open in Istora Senayan is only their second tournament back together after the Singapore Open last week, and determined to rebuild their on-court understanding in Jakarta.
They were temporarily split at the end of March following a fallout and were paired with different partners. However, less than four weeks later, the issue was resolved and they reunited.
They were also key figures in Malaysia's Sudirman Cup campaign in Xiamen, China, in April before briefly going their separate ways.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei will need to raise their game in today's second round as they take on Denmark's world No. 23 pair, Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch.
As the tournament's second seeds, the Malaysians hold the upper hand based on past meetings, having won both previous encounters at the 2023 French Open and the 2024 Japan Open.
Meanwhile, after two consecutive first-round exits, mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie finally have reason to breathe a little easier.
The husband and wife duo ended their early-round jinx in style with a convincing 21-12, 21-16 win over Thailand's Phuwanat Horbanluekit-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in just 31 minutes yesterday.
It was a much-needed relief, as their campaigns in the past two editions had ended in disappointment. In 2023, they fell to Indonesia's Rehan Kusharjanto-Lisa Ayu Kusumawati, and last year, they suffered the same fate against Hong Kong's Reginald Lee-Ng Tsz Yau.