Mixed doubles pair eliminated in Olympic Quarterfinals

PARIS: The national mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei ended their campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics in tears after being eliminated in the quarterfinals by the South Korean duo last night.

According to Bernama, the world’s ninth-ranked pair faced defeat at the hands of South Korea’s Kim Won Ho-Jeong Na Eun, with a score of 19-21, 14-21 in 41 minutes at the Arena Porte de La Chapelle.

Their performance struggled in the first set after Ee Wei fell while trailing 9-11 and had to continue playing with a back support brace, but they managed to close the gap before eventually losing 19-21.

In the second set, Tang Jie-Ee Wei’s rhythm faltered, with the Korean pair dominating the game and leading 11-1. Despite the national pair’s efforts to recover to 11-17, they ultimately succumbed to defeat.

The victory means Won Ho-Na Eun will face their compatriots Seo Seung Jae-Chae Yu Jung for a chance to secure a place in the final.

Seung Jae-Yu Jung had earlier secured their semifinal spot with ease, defeating Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet 21-15, 21-10 in just 38 minutes.

Tang Jie-Ee Wei reached the quarterfinals as Group A champions after surprising the second seeds, Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping of China, and defeating Singapore’s Terry Hee-Jessica Tan and Vinson Chiu-Jennie Gai from the United States.

Commenting on the match, Tang Jie said they struggled to handle the pressure on the court.

“I feel we were well-prepared, but there were parts of our game that were not mature enough to handle the situation,” he said.