KUALA LUMPUR - The hopes of national mixed doubles player Chen Tang Jie to compete in the 2026 World Championships in India this August depend entirely on the level of recovery of his partner Toh Ee Wei, said national mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto.
He said his party was hoping for a miracle for Ee Wei but if the pair of Tang Jie and Ee Wei were unable to compete, their place could not be filled by another pair because qualification was based on ranking.
"We hope for a miracle for Ee Wei. But if Tang Jie and Ee Wei cannot play, there is no replacement because qualification is based on rankings and the slots cannot be transferred.
"If Ee Wei cannot return on time, Tang Jie and Clarissa will not go to the World Championships,” he told reporters after a training session at Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) here today.
Ee Wei is currently facing a time constraint to recover from a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee with the coaching staff still awaiting developments on whether the player will need surgery or not.
Nova said the Japan Open would be the stage for an initial assessment of the compatibility of the new Tang Jie-Clarissa San pairing, but he reminded national badminton fans not to place too high expectations on the pair on their debut.
"The preparations are okay, but I hope they don’t set their expectations too high just yet. The important thing is that they give their best. From what I saw in training, I think they have the potential to do well," he said. - BERNAMA