SENAYAN: Another tournament, another disappointment for mixed doubles pair, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei - this time at the Indonesia Masters.
While it may be premature to sound the alarm, the world No. 9's dip in form is certainly a cause for concern as they have exited the last 16 in all three World Tour stops to date this year.
More worryingly, Tang Jie-Ee Wei were defeated 12-21, 21-13, 21-14 by world No. 20 Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Lisa Ayu Kusumawati for the first time in three meetings today. Such a result does not bode well with the Paris Olympics looming.
Ee Wei remains defiant, but she admitted that Tang Jie and she need to get back on their feet as soon as possible.
"It's just another setback for us; we still have many tournaments to make amends," said Ee Wei in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation.
"We need to regain our momentum on the court. We will do our best to achieve that."
Ee Wei added that the defeat to Rehan-Naufal exposed the pair's lack of variety in their play.
"In the second game, the change of strategy by our opponents caught us off guard. I think we need to introduce a greater variety of tactical approaches on the court," said Ee Wei.
Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing were the sole Malaysian survivors in the mixed doubles competition after prevailing against professional teammates Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing won 21-12, 21-16 for a morale-boosting result after going three tournaments without a win since they last reached the last eight of the Kumamoto Masters in Japan last November.
"It wasn't an easy game for us because we were playing against our own teammates whom we train with daily. Not only do we know each other's game very well, but we also share a close friendship," Pei Jing told SPOTV.
"So while we're happy to win, it also feels complicated at the same time."
Kian Meng-Pei Jing face a mammoth task next, going up against China's world No. 1 Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong.
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai failed in their bid to replicate their quarter-final run at the India Open last week, falling 21-10, 21-16 to South Korea's Kim Won Ho-Jeong Na Eun.
In the men's singles, world No. 37 Leong Jun Hao could not continue his giant-killing run as he slumped to a 21-15, 21-17 loss against Indonesia's world No. 4 Anthony Ginting.
Jun Hao, having come through a two-round qualifier on Tuesday, had upset world No. 11 Kenta Nishimoto of Japan in the first round.