MALAYSIA’s mixed doubles badminton pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei clinched their first BWF World Tour title of the year after a hard-fought victory over China’s Guo Xin Wa and Li Qian in the 2024 Korea Open final today in a fantastic Merdeka gift to sports enthusiasts.
Ranked world No. 7, the Malaysian duo triumphed in a thrilling three-game match, overcoming their unranked Chinese opponents 17-21, 21-13, 21-13. The match, held in Seoul, lasted 59 minutes.
The pair won a prize of US$33,180. This victory marks the first BWF World Tour Super 500 series title of the year for Tang Jie-Ee Wei. The pair had previously reached the finals at the Thailand Masters in February and the Swiss Open in March but fell short on both occasions.
Last year, they won the Orleans Masters and Taipei Open, solidifying their status as one of Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pairs. The final began with a closely contested first game, where the Malaysians matched their Chinese opponents point for point but eventually lost 21-17 after 20 minutes.
However, Tang Jie-Ee Wei quickly turned the tide in the second game, taking an early lead and maintaining their momentum to win 21-13 in just 16 minutes.
In the deciding third game, the Malaysians surged ahead with a 3-0 lead and managed to fend off a Chinese comeback, leading 11-6 at the interval.
Although Guo and Li narrowed the gap to 13-15, Tang Jie and Ee Wei secured every remaining point to close out the match 21-13, sealing their first title of the year. – Sept 1, 2024
Main photo credit: NST
