KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia stormed into the semifinals of the Sudirman Cup for the third time after they tamed the great Danes in the last eight with 3-1 last night, bringing hope to the nation as they are one step away from the finals.
In the group stages, Malaysia swept aside Australia and India with a 5-0 score respectively, while they topped the group after beating Chinese Taipei 4-1.
Based on the progress, former world’s top men’s doubles shuttler Tan Boon Heong told The Vibes that he admired the performance of mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei under the tutelage of Nova Widianto.
Nova is a former Olympic silver medallist and a two-time world champion who joined the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in January.
“We have to give credit to the mixed doubles players, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei. I think they have been playing tremendously well.
“Their performance has been improving since Nova joined the national setup.
“I admire their fighting spirit. The way they bounce back after going down a set in their match is commendable,” he said when contacted last night.
The pair’s journey to becoming better does not stop at the Sudirman Cup, instead, if they play the way they do now, this mixed doubles will be a top pair in the world.
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As the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.
These were the words of Boon Heong who advised the shuttlers to “be mindful” of their condition as they will face more intense competition.
“Going against South Korea (today)…they are banking on a few of their good players too, such as their doubles players. It is going to be a 50-50 chance.
“As long as Malaysia continues to be consistent with their form, I am sure the team would have no problem winning the semis.
“Moving forward, the players also need to stay strong and in form as the Olympic qualifying period has started. Be mentally prepared and take responsibility for their fitness.
“They would also need to maintain their focus and avoid getting injured, and be mindful of their form,” he added.
In the semifinal scheduled at 10am today, Malaysia will face South Korea while Japan will take on China in the other half of the draw.
If Malaysia manages to win, it would be the first finals for the national team since the inception of the biennial mixed team tournament in 1989. – The Vibes, May 20, 2023
