KUALA LUMPUR: Chen Tang Jie played the lead role perfectly to provide cover for the flu-stricken Toh Ee Wei at the China Masters as the mixed doubles world champions battled into the quarter-finals on Thursday.
World No. 3 Tang Jie-Ee Wei secured a hard-earned 21-13, 13-21, 21-16 win over Indonesia’s World No. 12 Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu in a 63-minute second-round clash at the Shenzhen Arena.
Ee Wei admitted that she had already been suffering from flu before arriving in Shenzhen and complimented Tang Jie for putting in the extra effort to ensure victory.
“Actually, I already had the flu before arriving here. I was taking treatment, but I am still having the flu and a cough,” said Ee Wei.
“Tang Jie reminded me in the third game to stick to our game plan, and I followed his rhythm. I trusted him, and that was the key to this win.”
Attending non-stop functions to celebrate their feat of winning the nation’s maiden mixed doubles world title in Paris last month had obviously taken a toll on Ee Wei.
Tang Jie said that it was his duty to take over the workload and play the aggressor at the China Masters.
“Both have the duty to lead, but she didn’t feel well today. So, it’s my time (to take the lead) and let her be comfortable on the court,” said Tang Jie.
“Doubles is about teamwork — our communication was the key today, and we are glad to win this match. We have to recover and continue fighting tomorrow.”
The hard-fought win stretched Tang Jie-Ee Wei’s head-to-head record against the Indonesians to 4-0.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei will either meet Hong Kong’s World No. 6 Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet or World No. 10 Jesper Toft-Amelie Magelund of Denmark in the quarter-finals on Friday.
However, the husband-and-wife pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie could not arrest their recent dip in form as they crashed out in the last 16 stage on Thursday.
World No. 8 Soon Huat-Shevon could not maintain a fiery start, as they lost 21-6, 16-21, 21-12 to Taiwan’s World No. 18 Ye Hong Wei-Nicole Chan in 40 minutes.
The normally consistent Soon Huat-Shevon have now failed to advance to the quarter-finals in four consecutive starts.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
