KUALA LUMPUR: Overcoming a psychological barrier was the key focus for Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai as they finally broke their jinx against China's World No. 2 Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin after five straight defeats.
Shevon admitted that fear had crept in after losing to the Chinese pair in their last five encounters, four of which ended in straight games.
Determined to turn the tide, the veteran mixed doubles duo clinched a 23-21, 21-16 victory in just 34 minutes at the China Open in Changzhou today, storming into the semi-finals.
It wasn't smooth sailing initially, as the World No. 12 Malaysians trailed 19-13 in the opening game.
However, they showed remarkable grit to reel off six consecutive points and eventually claim the first game 23-21 — an emotional breakthrough for Shevon and Soon Huat.
Shevon, in particular, had been battling her inner demons, striving to overcome the psychological pressure of facing their long-time rivals.
"This was a mental battle for me. I knew I had to conquer my fear, especially since we had never beaten them before," said Shevon.
The draught inside the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium proved to be a blessing in disguise for the Malaysian pair, helping them turn the match in their favour.
"When the draught is strong, it will limit us from attacking certain areas of the court, but we managed to use it to our advantage," Shevon added.
"After clawing back in the first game, our confidence soared."
Soon Huat echoed her sentiments, attributing their success to a calm and patient approach, particularly when they were trailing in the first game.
"We were down 19-13, but we fought point by point, staying patient. Once we drew level, we started playing our own game," said Soon Huat.
It marks Soon Huat-Shevon's first semi-final since winning the Malaysian Masters in May, and for the pair, defeating the top-seeded Chinese duo felt as good as winning a World Tour title.
Next up for the rejuvenated Malaysians is another Chinese challenge, as they face World No. 22 Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi in the last four tomorrow (Sept 21).
With the psychological boost from their hard-fought win, Soon Huat-Shevon will be looking to continue their inspired run in Changzhou.
Meanwhile, up-and-coming BA of Malaysia pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin fell 21-14, 21-9 to Indonesia's Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja in their quarter-final.