Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei’s success to conquer the Australian Open as champions couldn’t have come at a better time. StadiumAstro highlights three talking points behind their success in Sydney.
Affirms their credentials as world champs
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Believe it or not, winning this Super 500 event is Chen-Toh’s first title on the World Tour this year.
The pair’s first silverware came when they won the World Championships in August, and they have been working hard ever since to add to their trophy cabinet.
The world number four pair reached the China Masters final in September, but couldn’t get past a well playing Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerratanachai.
But they made amends last week.
To win the Australian Open without dropping a game, or even allowing any of their opponent to reach the 20-point mark is proof how dominant Chen-Toh were.
Chen has fully recovered and back in-form
This pair withdrew from the Hylo Open and Japan Masters as Chen had been nursing a right shoulder injury.
In Sydney, the 27-year-old shuttler looked to be back on-form and he was on-fire in the final.
Roaming freely at the back court, Chen attacked every shuttle with ferocity and was clinical in his offence. It was fitting that he produced the winning point in the final when his powerful smash tumbled over to the opponent’s court to seal victory.
Chen later posted a socialmedia message in which he expressed gratitude for completing the tournament injury-free.
Earns them a top four seeding at the WTF
Chen-Toh’s triumph comes at the ideal moment.
Not only does it give them a massive confidence boost to win the penultimate event on the World Tour this year, being crowned champions also does wonders for them at the World Tour Finals (WTF) next month.
This is because Chen-Toh now look set to finish fourth at the WTF rankings, which would give them top seeds status at the season-finale in Hangzhou, China.
That would mean being drawn in a favourable group which increases their chances of qualifying to the knockout stages and winning the lucrative event.
Chen-Toh came close last year after finishing as runners-up. They will aim to go one step further this year.
