Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping Fall 1-2 to Malaysian Pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei

Jayce September 6, 2024 1 0

On July 29, the third day of the 2024 Paris Olympics badminton group stage, the mixed doubles Group A and Group D matches concluded. The Chinese duo Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong topped their group with three consecutive wins, while Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping were upset by the Malaysian pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, losing 1-2 and finishing second in Group D. This may lead to an early encounter with the top-seeded Zheng/Huang pair in the knockout stage.

Group A qualifiers: Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong (China, 1st place), Kim Won-ho/Jeong Na-eun (South Korea, 2nd place)

Group D qualifiers: Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei (Malaysia, 1st place), Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping (China, 2nd place)

After the mixed doubles group stage concludes tomorrow, the draw for the quarterfinals will take place. According to the rules, the first place from Group A will enter the 1/4 section, the first place from Group D will enter the 4/4 section, and the first places from Groups B and C will be drawn into either the 2/4 or 3/4 sections. The second place teams will be drawn into various sections (with players from the same group avoiding each other in the quarterfinals).

In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics mixed doubles final, Wang Yilu and Huang Dongping defeated Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, securing both gold and silver for China. This year, the top-seeded Zheng/Huang pair will enter the 1/4 section, while the second-seeded Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping, if drawn into the upper half, could face an early domestic showdown, preventing another Chinese sweep of the medals.

After the match, Huang Dongping said, “With two wins and one loss in the group stage, I think it’s normal because we don’t have absolute strength. Advancing as the second seed will be more challenging, but I believe the tougher it is, the better. The Olympics are about enjoying the process. Previously, I said coming to the Olympics is like passing levels in a game; we’ve lost one life now, but we still have one left, so we’ll fight!”

Toh Ee Wei attributed their victory to the trust in her partner and the well-planned tactics they devised before the match.