KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s bid for glory at the World Tour Finals 2023 concluded with a disappointing exit, as the national top mixed doubles pair, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, fell short of securing a spot in the semi-finals at the season-ending badminton tournament in Hangzhou, China.
In their crucial Group A clash at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium, the Malaysian duo showed promise by defeating Thailand’s two-time champions, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, in the opening game with a score of 21-18.
However, a series of unforced errors proved costly as they stumbled in the subsequent games, losing 21-18, 21-14, ultimately sealing their fate in the competition, Bernama reported.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei finished at the bottom of Group A, with Puavaranukroh-Taerattanachai securing the third spot behind Japan’s world number two pair, Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino.
The group was topped by the home pair Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, who claimed three consecutive victories, including a decisive win against Watanabe-Higashino.
Despite all three pairs finishing with one point, Watanabe-Higashino secured a semi-final spot alongside the Chinese duo based on a game difference in the group campaign, leaving Puavaranukroh-Taerattanachai and Tang Jie-Ee Wei behind.
This outcome marked the end of Malaysia’s representation in the semi-finals, as Tang Jie-Ee Wei failed to advance.
In related developments, Malaysia’s 2022 men’s doubles world champions, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, also experienced a premature exit from the tournament.
Having lost all their Group A matches, including a defeat to the world’s top pair Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang of China, the duo finished at the bottom of the table, missing out on a spot in the semi-finals.
The last time Malaysia had no representatives in the last four was in the 2019 edition held in Guangzhou. — December 16, 2023