Ong-Teo bank on fighting spirits against fearsome Liang-Wang Chang
Bitter pill to swallow: Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi came close to lifting the Malaysian Masters title in 2019.
PETALING JAYA: National men's doubles pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi are hoping that playing on home ground will help turn their fortunes around at the Malaysian Masters, which begins tomorrow at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
The 2021 World Championships bronze medallists are desperate to end a dismal run of first-round exits, having crashed out early in four straight tournaments staring at the Indian Open, Indonesian Masters, All-England, and Swiss Open.
Their only bright spot this year was a quarter-final appearance at the Malaysian Open in January.
They will need all the support they can get from the home crowd as they face a stern test right from the start.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi have been handed a tough opening-round draw against China's world No. 3 pair Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang, who had beaten them at the Indian Open earlier this year.
'Honestly, the draw hasn't been kind to us, so we can only do our best and face it head-on,' said Yew Sin.
Ee Yi echoed the sentiment, adding that the match is a do-or-die mission for them as they look to prove that they still have the fire to compete at the highest level.
'This is a do-or-die mission for us. We know Weikeng and Wang Chang are among the top pairs in the world, but we will give it our all and try to put up a good fight.
'We still have the fighting spirit despite going through various challenges, including injuries. We are determined to make a strong comeback,' said Ee Yi.
He also shared that he has recovered from a foot injury that had troubled him previously and has been preparing well for this tournament.
The Malaysian Masters holds special memories for the duo, who made it all the way to the final in 2019. They came close to lifting the title that year but fell short against Indonesia's Marcus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya.
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