WORLD mixed doubles champions Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei made a confident start to their China Masters campaign with a first-round victory.
The Malaysian pair defeated American opponents Chen Zhi Yi and Francesca Corbett in straight sets with a score of 21-12, 21-14.
The world number three pair needed just 31 minutes to secure their place in the second round of the tournament.
Tang Jie expressed satisfaction with their performance, noting their familiarity with playing in China.
“We just need to keep up our momentum,“ he stated in an audio clip shared by the Badminton World Federation.
The Malaysian duo will face Indonesian pair Jafar Hidayatullah and Felisha Pasaribu in the second round tomorrow.
The Indonesians advanced after defeating Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito 23-21, 21-17.
Tang Jie and Ee Wei reached the semi-finals in last year’s China Masters before losing to Chinese pair Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping.
Their current victory marks their first competitive match since winning the World Championships in Paris last month. – Bernama