KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto is optimistic that his leading pair, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, can finally break through and win their first title of the 2024 season.
Nova hopes their long-awaited triumph will come at the upcoming Japan Open (July 15–20) or the China Open (July 22–27). Their recent performances have given him reasons to believe.
“We’ve seen success in men’s and women’s doubles recently, and that’s great motivation for the mixed doubles camp,” said Nova during a training session at the Badminton Association of Malaysia (ABM) academy. “While we’ve faced some setbacks, that’s no excuse—we’re pushing forward. Winning a title before the World Championships would be the perfect boost.”
Nova added that the absence of China’s dominant duo Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong has opened the field, improving chances for all pairs.
“As long as we’re mentally and physically prepared, our team stands a good chance,” he said.
🔄 Rekindled Partnership
Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, currently ranked World No. 4 in mixed doubles, have shown promising chemistry after temporarily splitting up in March due to “irreconcilable differences.” However, they reunited a month later and returned to represent Malaysia at the Sudirman Cup in late April.
Their performance has steadily improved since. After reaching the second round of the Singapore Open Super 750, the duo matched their best season result by reaching the semifinals of the Indonesia Open Super 1000.
Nova noted their progress:
“They’re getting along much better now, and you can tell they’re enjoying their time on court. Communication is improving, and while their gameplay still has room for growth, we’re using the pre-Japan Open window to fine-tune everything.”
⚠️ Injuries Impact Other Pairs
Malaysia’s other top mixed pair, Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin (currently ranked World No. 16), have been struggling with both predictability in their playing style and injury issues, especially affecting Cheng’s form. This has made it difficult for Malaysia’s mixed doubles division to capture any titles in the first half of the year.
With Chen-Toh’s upward momentum and strategic training, Nova remains confident that the wait for a championship could soon be over.
