KUALA LUMPUR: National men's doubles coach Tan Bin Shen has thrown down the gauntlet to Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun, challenging them to impress him in the upcoming events in Europe.
Bin Shen stated that the race for a spot in the squad for the Thomas Cup Finals remains wide open, and he wants the world No. 18 pair to prove they deserve a place on the team.
Despite being third-ranked nationally, Wei Chong and Kai Wun paid the price for their lacklustre results, leading to their omission from the team that emerged runners-up at last week's Badminton Asia Team Championships.
BAM selected the fifth-ranked pair of Haikal Nazri and Choong Hon Jian to join the doubles lineup, which already included world No. 5 Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, as well as No. 19 Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
Wei Chong and Kai Wun will have the chance to bounce back in three tournaments — the French Open, All England, and Swiss Open.
"We're still considering our options for the second pair slot for the Thomas Cup, so we shall let everyone prove themselves capable for the duty," said Bin Shen.
"I really hope Wei Chong and Kai Wun can shift their focus to fighting for their place in the Thomas Cup by performing well in Europe.
"I can see the fire in them during training; they've been showing improvement. But at the end of the day, it's their performance on the court during the tournament that counts."
Wei Chong and Kai Wun made significant progress last year, notably defending their Taiwan Open title and finishing as runners-up at the Malaysia Masters and Arctic Open, but their consistency remains a concern.
"Wei Chong and Kai Wun understand that they have to make a breakthrough. Otherwise, they will not progress and may stagnate," said Bin Shen.
"They need to overcome their confidence issues when facing higher-ranked opponents.
"Hopefully, with the opportunity for a place in the Thomas Cup up for grabs, it will provide them with the motivation they need in Europe."