BANGKOK, Dec 13 — Malaysia’s quest for a mixed doubles gold medal at the SEA Games came to a stunning halt after top seeds and reigning world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei suffered a shock semi-final defeat in Pathum Thani today.
The national top pair fell 15-21, 16-21 to fourth seeds and home duo Ruttanapak Oupthong-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat in 44 minutes at Gymnasium 4, Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.
Despite being firm favourites, Tang Jie-Ee Wei were unable to cope with the relentless pressure from the Thais, registering their first-ever defeat against their opponents after winning all three previous encounters.
Ee Wei admitted that they failed to impose their game and struggled to manage the pressure of the occasion.
“We were fully prepared for this match, but I felt the Thai pair applied more pressure on us, which is why we struggled.
“We have not yet reached our maximum potential and are not yet at a level where we can handle pressure very well. We are still in the learning process,” she told reporters in a post-match interview.
Meanwhile, Tang Jie, who won gold with Peck Yen Wei in the 2021 edition, was gutted at missing out on the final, and said he is still struggling to digest what went wrong in the crucial encounter.
SEA Games Thailand is underway till December 20 across Bangkok and Chonburi.
