KUALA LUMPUR: In less than a year, mixed doubles Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei have achieved several milestones.
But it would be a new high for the world No. 10 if they qualify for the season-ending World Tour Finals in December.
Today, Tang Jie-Ee Wei, who were only paired up last December, reached the Korea Masters second round after thrashing Taiwan's Chen Zhi Ray-Yang Chin Tun 21-9, 21-6.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei, who had won the Orleans Masters and Taiwan Open this season, will play national teammates Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin next.
Pang Ron-Su Yin, playing in their first international tournament together, beat South Korea's Wang Chan-Shin Seung Chan 23-21, 21-15 in the opening round.
The other national pair to reach the second round were Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow. They ousted Taiwan's Lee Jhei Huei-Hsu Ya Ching 21-14, 21-10 but are up against local favourites Kim Won Ho-Jeong Na Eun next.
"My advice to Tang Jie-Ee Wei is don't think too much. We saw what happened to them in the last two tournaments. They put themselves under too much pressure and couldn't perform to their best.
"However, qualifying for the World Tour Finals should be a target for them, because it will set them up nicely for a very important season next year." said national mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto.
Only the top eight players and pairs from the 2023 World Tour circuit will qualify for the World Tour Finals on Dec 13-17.
Independents Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing also cleared the first round in the mixed doubles.
Soon Huat-Shevon saw off Japan's Hashiru Shimono-Miku Shigeta 21-8, 21-12, while Kian Meng-Pei Jing downed Taiwan's Lu Chen-Cheng Yu Pei 21-15, 21-10.
It was, however, the end of the road for newly crowned KL Masters champions Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See who succumbed 21-11, 21-14 to Taiwan's Yang Po Hsuan-Hu Ling Fang.