PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei believe their semi-final breakthrough at the World Championships in Paris is the best way to silence the criticism and doubts that have followed them.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei powered past India's Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto in the quarter-finals yesterday with a commanding 21-15, 21-13 win, securing at least a bronze medal.
Their success also ended Malaysia's 19-year medal drought in the mixed doubles event, last achieved by Koo Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty, who won bronze in Madrid in 2006.
Ee Wei, who has often found herself the target of criticism, admitted it was far from easy to reach this stage after all that she and Tang Jie have endured together.
The pair briefly split in March before being reunited a few weeks later. Even then, questions were raised about their communication following several disappointing outings.
"This has not been an easy journey for us as we've had to deal with a lot of outside noise, but we managed to overcome it. We just want to stay grounded and humble," said Ee Wei in a post match interview with BWF.
"It gives us extra motivation, and I hope the distractions will not affect us because as athletes, our duty is to fight for our country. I want this fire in me to keep burning.
Tang Jie echoed Ee Wei's views, stressing that he and his partner know themselves best.
Although delighted with their achievement, Tang Jie-Ee Wei know their mission is not over yet as they still have a semi-final battle ahead.
The Malaysian pair will have the chance to create history by upgrading the colour of their medal when they face home favourites Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue.
"Everyone has their own career, and it's the same for athletes, even champions.
''People can say what they want, but we know what we're doing on and off the court. So we just need to focus on ourselves.
"Our job is not done yet, so we will stay focused.
"Rather than thinking about what this result means, we prefer to concentrate on tomorrow," said Tang Jie.
Men's singles: Shi Yuqi (Chn) bt Weng Hongyang (Chn) 21-15, 7-21, 21-10; Victor Lai (Can) bt Loh Kean Yew (Sin) 22-20, 21-18.
Women's singles: Akande Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt Han Yue (Chn) 21-5, 21-19.
Women's doubles: Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida (Jpn) bt Kim Hye-jong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor) 21-17, 21-14.
Mixed doubles: Jiang Zhengbang-Wei Yaxin (Chn) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin (Mas) 25-23, 21-15; Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (Mas) bt Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto (Ind) 21-15, 21-13.
Third round
Men's singles: Shi Yuqi (Chn) bt Christo Popov (Fra) 20-22, 21-13, 21-18; Weng Hongyang (Chn) bt Alex Lanier (Fra) 21-18, 21-12; Victor Lai (Can) bt Jeong Hyeok-jin (Kor) 21-17, 21-13; Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Alwi Farhan (Ina) 21-18, 18-21, 22-20; Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) bt Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) 16-21, 21-15, 21-13; Anders Antonsen (Den) bt Toma Junior Popov (Fra) 21-6, 20-22, 21-19.
Men's doubles: Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae (Kor) bt Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana (Ina) 17-21, 21-9, 21-4; Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (Mas) bt Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) 21-18, 21-18; Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) bt Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (Ina) 13-21, 21-11, 21-17; Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) bt Chiu Hsiang-chieh-Wang Chi-lin (Tpe) 21-15, 21-13; Chen Boyang-Liu Yi (Chn) bt Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard (Den) 21-17, 22-20; Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan (Tpe) bt Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (Mas) 22-20, 15-21, 23-21; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty (Ind) bt Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang (Chn) 19-21, 21-15, 21-17; Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt Wan Junaidi Wan Arif-Yap Roy King (Mas) 18-21, 21-18, 26-24.
Women's singles: An Se-young (Kor) bt Michelle Li (Can) 21-18, 21-10; Sim Yu-jin (Kor) bt Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Ina) 21-15, 21-18; Chen Yufei (Chn) bt Nguyen Thuy Linh (Vie) 21-10. 21-9; Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) bt Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) 21-10, 21-11.
Women's doubles: Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tun (Tpe) 21-8, 21-15; Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian (Chn) bt Hsu Yin-hui-Lin Jhih-yun (Tpe) 21-15, 21-14; Febriana Kusuma-Amallia Pratiwi (Ina) bt Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) 21-16, 21-16; Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) bt Li Yijing-Luo Xumin (Chn) 21-16, 21-18; Gabriela Stoeva-Stefani Stoeva (Bul) bt Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto (Jpn) 21-18, 20-22, 22-20; Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah (Mas) bt Lanny Mayasari-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti (Ina) 21-12, 21-11.
Mixed doubles: Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Yaxin (Chn) bt Jesper Toft-Amalie Magelund (Den) 21-15, 21-11; Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui (Chn) bt Yang Po-hsuan-Hu Ling-fang (Tpe) 21-13, 21-10.