Tang Jie helps former club Petaling to victory in Purple League

PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttler Chen Tang Jie (pic) showed he hasn’t forgotten his roots when he helped his former club, Petaling Badminton Club, to a 13-9 win over Bangsar Hawks BC in the SS Purple League.

The 19-year-old Tang Jie and his Indonesian partner Devi Tika Permatasari battled to a sensational 11-10, 5-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-10 win over Bangsar’s Hiripong Sathorn-Liu Lin to deliver three crucial points for Petaling BC at the Sports Arena Sentosa in Jalan Kelang Lama yesterday.

Earlier, Petaling BC had won their matches through Kenichi Tago and Hera Desiana Rachmawati in the men and women’s singles.

Goh V Shem-Ian Wong Jien Sern then went down to Deoe Ryan Philip-Yap Qar Siong 9-11, 11-9, 10-11, 9-11 before Tang JieDevi put Petaling BC in control again.

Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin sealed the tie with an 11-3, 8-11, 6-11, 11-8, 7-5 win over Zulhelmi Zulkiffli.

Tang Jie, who was roped into the national team by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) last September after serving Petaling BC for four years, was happy he delivered for his former club.

“It was a close call but I’m happy to win the

match. This is my way of repaying my former club. They’ve invested much in me over the last four years and now, I’m in the national team,” said a beaming Tang Jie.

Tang Jie partnered Goh Liu Ying in two international tournaments over the last two months and earned his maiden title at the fifth-tier India International Series in Hyderabad.

Tang Jie will now play either with Cheah Yee See or Peck Yen Wei in selected tournaments in the new season after the BAM restored Liu Ying’s partnership with Chan Peng Soon.

“My coach (Chin Eei Hui) has given me the option to play with Yee See and Yen Wei. She will then decide which partnership is more compatible. It’ll take time to build this partnership but I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“Ultimately, I want my club to be proud of me. I want to be a world champion one day,” he added.