Malaysia’s Tee Kai Wun and Man Wei Chong are set to resume their partnership at the Denmark Open as they look to climb back into the world’s top 10 in men’s doubles.
Currently ranked world No. 12, the pair have endured a disrupted season after being separated for several tournaments. Their last appearance together was at the World Championships in August, where their campaign ended early after Kai Wun fell ill.
With the season nearing its conclusion, the Malaysians face a limited number of opportunities to collect valuable ranking points. Kai Wun acknowledged that returning to the top 10 would take time, particularly after missing several tournaments.
“We hope to get back into the top 10. We were usually in the top 10 or top eight, but it will take time because we missed many tournaments,” he said at the Academy Badminton Malaysia.
The pair’s separation came as national men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi experimented with different combinations throughout the season. Kai Wun partnered Roy King earlier in the year, eventually winning the Korea Masters after taking time to adjust to the new pairing.
He later teamed up with veteran Aaron Chia for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. However, their campaign ended in the second round, leaving Malaysia without a men’s doubles medal at the tournament.
The coaching team has now decided to restore established partnerships for the remainder of the season. Kai Wun will return to Wei Chong, while Aaron will continue playing alongside Soh Wooi Yik.
Despite their ambitions, Kai Wun is keeping his expectations in check ahead of the reunion. Rather than putting pressure on themselves to achieve immediate results, he wants the pair to focus on their performance and rebuild their consistency on court.
“I don't want to set expectations too high. I just want to focus on my own performance. If we can go far, that would be even better,” he said.
Their first test at the Denmark Open will be against Danish pair Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer in the opening round. The match will offer an early indication of how quickly the Malaysians can regain their rhythm after competing with different partners.
With valuable ranking points still available before the season ends, the reunion gives Kai Wun and Wei Chong an opportunity to rebuild their partnership and strengthen their position ahead of the next campaign. Their immediate focus, however, will be on producing consistent performances and making the most of their remaining tournaments.
