Wei Chong gains from time on sidelines with coach Herry
Lessons learned: Man Wei Chong (left) and Tee Kai Wun will play compatriots Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi or France's Eloi Adam-Leo Rossi in the Indonesian Open second round.
PETALING JAYA: Man Wei Chong may not have featured in the Singapore Open final last week, but the men's doubles shuttler still came away with invaluable lessons that could serve him well at this week's Indonesian Open.
While Malaysians celebrated Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik's title-winning feat, Wei Chong quietly made his own gains after being given the rare opportunity to soak up the experience from the sidelines beside national men's doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi.
It turned out to be a priceless experience for the 25-year-old, who witnessed first-hand how Herry broke down the game and delivered crucial advice to Aaron-Wooi Yik.
He also had a front-row seat to observe how the Olympic bronze medallists handled the pressure during critical moments against South Korea's Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae.
That brief but insightful stint on the bench could prove timely as Wei Chong reunites with partner Tee Kai Wun for the Indonesian Open, which got underway yesterday.
As last year's runners-up, they made a confident start to their campaign with a commanding 21-6, 21-11 win over the United States' Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith in the opening round.
'We're happy to be back at Istora Senayan and we hope to do well in this tournament,' said Wei Chong in an interview with BWF.
They have also put behind them their title-winning run at the Malaysian Masters two weeks ago, where they edged Aaron-Wooi Yik in a hard-fought final.
'I think the Malaysian Masters is behind us. This is a new week, and we need to keep learning from the top players. Hopefully, we can put in a strong performance,' he added.
Awaiting them in the second round are either compatriots Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi or France's Eloi Adam-Leo Rossi, who will square off in another first-round clash.
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