KUALA LUMPUR: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei should take advantage of the mixed doubles "changed landscape", post-Paris Olympics, for a good result in Malaysia Open from Jan 7-12.
The world No. 6 have had an up-and-down year, did reach four finals, including at the World Tour Finals, and also won the Korea Open.
Former Olympic silver medallist Goh Liu Ying said Tang Jie-Ee Wei should not have a problem getting to the quarter-finals, but the path to the final is up to them.
"Even though the Malaysia Open is the season-opening tournament, it will still be a difficult challenge for our shuttlers," Liu Ying said.
"If Tang Jie and Ee Wei play their best, they should not have any problems entering the quarter-finals at least.
"Many top pairs have split up and some are not even playing anymore. So I think they have a good chance to make the final."
China's Olympic champions Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong, Thailand's former world champions Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai, South Korea's Seo Seung Jae-Che Yoo Jung and Paris Olympics bronze medallists Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan have all split up due to retirement or getting new partners.
Liu Ying said Tang Jie-Ee Wei's biggest strength is their speed and power, but they need to improve their mental game.
"They can improve the mental side of their game through playing in more tournaments. The experience will help their game mature.
"The other thing is they need to reduce their unforced errors. They can get overeager to kill a point, leading to mistakes.
"If they can stabilise their game, they can improve significantly."
In this year's Malaysia Open, Tang Jie-Ee Wei lost to Japanese Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito in the second round.