KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 6 Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei may have created history for Malaysia, but their biggest challenge awaits in the mixed doubles final of the World Tour Finals (WTF) tomorrow, where they face Olympic champions Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong of China.
The match is set to be an intense showdown, with Si Wei-Ya Qiong aiming to cap off their year with a win on home soil in Hangzhou, having already secured the Paris Olympic gold medal in August.
The winners of the final will take home US$210,000 (RM934,700), while the runners-up will pocket US$100,000 (RM450,000).
Tang Jie-Ee Wei made history by becoming the first Malaysians to reach a WTF final since the tournament's rebranding in 2018.
They earned their spot with a commanding 21-15, 21-12 win over compatriots Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai in the semi-finals today.
Second seeds Si Wei-Ya Qiong, meanwhile, defeated fellow Chinese duo Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin to book their place in the final.
Si Wei, who has announced his retirement, will be eager to clinch the title as a perfect farewell gift.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei face an uphill battle, having never beaten the world No. 3 in four previous meetings.
"It will be Si Wei's last tournament, and it is such an honour to play them in the final. Win or lose, it will be a pleasure to compete against them," said Tang Jie.
"We need to keep our emotions and excitement in check because the job is not done yet. We have to minimise mistakes, stay calm and remain patient during the final."
Tang Jie also lauded Soon Huat's resilience, praising him for playing in the semi-finals despite bruising his ribs during a Group B match against Indonesia's Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja on Friday.
"Soon Huat is a true professional. He managed to recover and play in the semi-final. We were inspired by his spirit but also stayed focused on our match," said Tang Jie.
Meanwhile, there was no shame in defeat for Soon Huat-Shevon, who secured their biggest prize of the season by earning US$50,000 (RM222,600) as semi-finalists.
"I am not fully recovered yet and lost balance during the match," said Soon Huat.
"I could hit four or five smashes in a rally but couldn't sustain it.
"We have done our best. Now, it's time to take a well-deserved break and enjoy Christmas before resuming preparations for the Malaysia Open next month."
His wife, Shevon also reflected on their successful campaign at the WTF.
"Reaching the semi-finals was a bonus and beyond expectations. This motivates us to move forward next year," said Shevon.
"We couldn't cope with their speed and were forced to play defensively, which limited our options in the semi-finals."
The 2024 World Tour season begins with the Super 1000 Malaysia Open on Jan 7-12.