NATIONAL mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei can hold their heads up high after going down fighting 18-21, 21-14, 17-21 to China’s Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong in the title showdown of the 2024 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China today.
The Malaysian pair deserve praise for showing no fear against the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medallists, stretching the Chinese pair to a rubber game before succumbing after a fierce 75-minute battle at the Hangzhou Olympic Gymnasium.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei got off to a slow start in the first game but, slowly and surely, managed to fight back to level the score at 10-10. However, the Malaysians made a series of errors at the front court to allow the Chinese pair to romp home 21-18.
Undaunted, the Malaysians stepped up a gear in the second game to go 11-8 ahead before wrapping it up at 21-14 to force a rubber game.
The decider proved to be a thriller as both pairs fought tooth and nail. Unfortunately for Tang Jie-Ee Wei, the few mistakes they made proved costly, leaving the China pair to win 21-17.
Earlier, Tang Jie-Ee Wei became the first Malaysian pair to reach the final of the BWF World Tour Finals since it was introduced in 2018.
As runners-up, Tang Jie-Ee Wei pocketed US$100,000 (about RM445,089) while champions Si Wei-Ya Qiong took home US$210,000 (about RM934,688).
Tang Jie and Ee Wei hope this (runner-up finish) will spur them to taste success at the World Tour Finals one day.
“It’s a breakthrough. Although we did not win the final, I think it’s a positive sign for our future. I hope we can take our game to a higher level,“ Ee Wei said in an audio clip shared by BWF.
Tang Jie, meanwhile, described it as a memorable moment as they got to share the stage one last time with the China pair following Siwei’s recent announcement about calling it a day.
“I think it’s a special memory for us also. Because, as we all know, they are legends. We are really happy and proud that their last match was against us,“ he said.
