KUALA LUMPUR: After establishing a successful partnership in their first year with Chen Tang Jie, mixed doubles ace Toh Ee Wei is poised to elevate their performance next year.
However, the 23-year-old believes that the world No. 9 pair must be patient before they can surpass the current dominance of the world's top six pairs.
Three Chinese combinations — Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong, Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, and Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin — along with Japan's Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino, South Korea's Seo Seung Jae-Chae Yu Jung, and Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai, have distanced themselves from the rest of the pack in terms of ranking points.
They look likely to maintain their hegemony for at least the first half of next year.
Ee Wei believes she and Tang Jie have performed considerably well to crack the top 10 within 12 months after they first teamed up.
They secured two Super 300 titles on the World Tour by winning the Orleans Masters and Taipei Open, and reached the semi-finals on four other occasions, notably at the China Open Super 1000.
These impressive performances led to their nomination by the Badminton World Federation for the Most Improved Players of the Year award.
But to reach the next level, she said, it would require them to undergo another round of processes.
"Tang Jie and I are doing the best we can, and I believe we haven't done too badly at the moment," said Ee Wei.
"When we first paired up last year, nobody would have thought we would get this far. Maybe more is expected from us after what we have achieved so far.
"But if you intend to elevate yourself to the next level, on par with the world's best pairs, it's not easy. This is another process we have to go through to get to the top."
"When asked if there was any unforgettable moment from this year, Ee Wei couldn't pinpoint just one.
"The whole year has been great," she said.
"It's been a fantastic challenge, and I've savored every moment. I've never played in so many tournaments in a year before; this is my first time, and I'm still adapting, to be frank."
Ee Wei and Tang Jie are currently gearing up for their World Tour Finals debut in Hangzhou from Dec 13-17.
Ee Wei mentioned that no specific target has been set, but the pair is grateful to qualify for the season-ending event, limited to only the leading eight players and pairs of this season's World Tour.