KUALA LUMPUR: Independent pair Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing face a stern test in their hunt for a first mixed doubles crown when they take on Denmark’s Mathias Christensen-Alexandra Boje in the Super 100 Indonesia Masters final in Pekanbaru on Sunday.
World No 58 Jimmy-Pei Jing reached their fifth final of the season after edging Hong Kong’s new pairing Chan Yin Chak-Ng Tsz Yau 21-9, 14-21, 21-15 in the semi-finals.
World No 93 Christensen-Boje were far more ruthless, thrashing Indonesia’s world No 45 Bobby Setiadi-Melati Daeva Oktavianti 21-14, 21-8 to storm into their second straight final after lifting the Macau Open last month.
That Macau triumph came at Jimmy-Pei Jing’s expense — a defeat the Malaysians will be desperate to avenge on Sunday.
The showdown also carries added intrigue as it marks Christensen’s continued comeback with Boje after serving a one-year ban from Anti-Doping Denmark over “whereabouts” violations.
Pei Jing, 33, teamed up with 23-year-old Jimmy earlier this year following the retirement of her long-time partner Tan Kian Meng after the All England in March.
The Malaysians have since been knocking on the door of a breakthrough title, finishing runners-up at the Vietnam International Challenge, Phuket International Series, Reunion Open, and most recently Macau.
But the Danes will start as favourites after a string of eye-catching scalps since reuniting.
They stunned reigning world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei en route to the Macau crown, and followed up with their biggest win yet by toppling China‘s world No 1 Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping at last month’s World Championships in Paris.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
