KUALA LUMPUR -For most married couples, separation is a last resort. For Malaysian shuttler Shevon Lai Jemie, it’s a tactical option she’s perfectly willing to embrace for Sudirman Cup glory.
As the team prepares for their Group C battles in Xiamen against Japan, Australia and France starting on Sunday, Lai is perfectly comfortable leaving husband Goh Soon Huat for another partner if national duty calls.
“Of course, in any situation, if the team need us to split, we’re definitely okay with it. It’s all about doing what’s best for the team,” Lai said during a training session at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara.
For Lai, a temporary on-court separation could offer more than just tactical advantages for the tournament.
“Actually, it’s a good experience to play with a different partner. We get to learn something new, and it’s quite refreshing,” she told Malaysia’s Star newspaper. “Yes, it gives us a fresh perspective and allows us to adapt to different styles of play. Both Soon Huat and I are always trying to become more all-rounded as players.”
Malaysia’s mixed doubles arsenal also includes Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin, and Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei – the latter having mended a previously fractious relationship.
In the women’s doubles department, Malaysia will field Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah alongside Go Pei Kee-Carmen Ting.
Lai and Goh were part of Malaysia’s bronze medal-winning squad at the 2023 Sudirman Cup in Suzhou, though they featured in just one match – a victory over India’s Ashwini Ponnapa-Dhruv Kapilla in the opening Group C tie.
The Sudirman Cup is badminton’s premier mixed team world championship, and will be staged in Xiamen, China, from April 27 to May 4.
The 19th edition of the biennial tournament will unfold at the Fenghuang Gymnasium within the Xiamen Olympic Sports Center, and features 16 national teams vying for global supremacy. The competition’s format includes five matches per tie—men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.
(Editing by Christian Radnedge)
