This is after the South Korean pair of Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun dashed the four-time Chinese champions’ dreams of adding another feather in their cap, with an 11-21, 21-18, 21-17 victory in the quarterfinals at Axiata Arena here today.
Speaking to reporters after the match, the three-time world champions Si Wei-Ya Qiong promised to return stronger in the next edition to wrest back the crown in the World Tour Super 1000 tournament.
“Quite disappointed, unable to win again, because for the past few years, we did very well in Malaysia, but we can’t control the results,” Ya Qiong said after they suffered their third defeat in five matches against the Koreans.
“We need to review more videos and prepare better against them in the upcoming matches.
“In a positive way, this defeat will help us a lot to identify our mistakes and weaknesses before the Paris 2024 Olympics in July.”
Apart from winning the Malaysia Open title four times in a row in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 (the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled because of Covid-19), the Chinese pair lifted the Malaysia Masters title in 2020 and 2022 to make Axiata Arena their favourite hunting ground.
World No 7 pair Won-ho and Na-eun aim to continue their fine run to their biggest achievement by lifting the title. Their previous best performance was winning the World Tour Super 500 Thailand Open last year.
“We wanted to start the new year with new challenges. We studied the Chinese pair, they’re world No 1, so we could beat them,” said Won-ho.
“We want to emerge as Malaysia Open champions this time round, but I don’t want to think too far, (we’ll take it) step by step.”
In the semifinals, Won-ho and Na-eun will take on Singaporeans Terry Hee and Jessica Tan, who stunned 2021 world champions Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand 21-16, 21-19.
The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games champions are also looking for their career’s highest point, with their best achievement in the World Tour being the Super 500 India Open title in 2022.
Terry and Jessica also aim to create history as Singapore’s first-ever mixed doubles representative to feature in the Olympics in Paris this year.
“We are very happy to be in our first-ever Super 1000 tournament semifinals. After the game, both of us were in disbelief,” said Terry, who is married to Jessica.
“Now we are in the semifinals, this will increase our chances for Paris. The goal is to win as many matches as possible to collect more points.”
The other semifinal will see a clash between second seeds Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan and China’s Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin.