CHENGDU: As fate would have it, Malaysia and China are set to reignite their Thomas Cup rivalry after a 12-year hiatus, setting the stage for a highly anticipated semi-final clash today.
On paper, Malaysia face the tough challenge of breaking through the "Great Wall of China."
China, the 10-time winners, boast a star-studded roster with all their players ranked within the top 20, making them a formidable force.
Despite Malaysia lacking depth, particularly in singles, the five-time champions are riding a wave of confidence following their return to the semi-finals after an eight-year absence, eager to extend their journey.
Timesport look at the past meetings between China and Malaysia, and their potential starting line-ups for what promises to be a thrilling showdown between the two most decorated teams in Thomas Cup history.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
CHINA 8 MALAYSIA 3
1986: China bt Malaysia 4-1 (group stage)
1988: China bt Malaysia 3-2 (group stage), China bt Malaysia 4-1 (final)
1990: China bt Malaysia 5-0 (group stage), China bt Malaysia 4-1 (final)
1992: Malaysia bt China 3-2 (semi-finals)
1994: Malaysia bt China 4-1 (semi-finals)
2002: Malaysia bt China 3-2 (semi-finals)
2008: China bt Malaysia 3-2 (semi-finals)
2010: China bt Malaysia 3-0 (semi-finals)
2012: China bt Malaysia 3-0 (quarter-finals)
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
(world ranking in brackets)
First singles: Lee Zii Jia (10) v Shi Yu Qi (2)
Malaysia face a must-win scenario, pinning their hopes on Zii Jia to secure a vital lead. Yet, facing the formidable Yu Qi, who boasts two titles this year and an unbeaten streak in Chengdu, Zii Jia needs to deliver an exceptional performance. Despite not having a good track record against Yu Qi, with just one win in five encounters, Zii Jia's potential victory could open the door for Malaysia to achieve a rare triumph against the badminton powerhouse.
First doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (5) v Wang Chang-Liang Wei Keng (1)
Going by their past encounters, Aaron-Wooi Yik have to brace themselves for another challenging duel against the world No. 1, whom they have only defeated once in seven meetings since 2022. Nevertheless, Aaron-Wooi Yik have demonstrated their ability to overcome any opponent when they perform at their peak and they will be motivated to make amends for their quarter-final defeat to Japan's Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi. Malaysia are relying heavily on Aaron-Wooi Yik to deliver, especially if the outcome of the first singles match doesn't go their way.
Second singles: Leong Jun Hao (37) v Li Shi Feng (6)
There's no denying that Jun Hao is having a fine Thomas Cup campaign thus far with remarkable wins against higher-ranked opponents such as Hong Kong's Angus Ng and Japan's Koki Watanabe. But his potential battle with world No. 7 Shi Feng will be a different ball game altogether, much like his earlier match against Denmark's Anders Antonsen where he got outplayed. But Shi Feng has a tendency of losing to lower-ranked players on his "off day" as he suffered losses to the likes of Canada's Brian Yang and Toma Junior Popov of France, so it will be up to Jun Hao to pounce if the opportunity arises.
Second doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (15) v Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi (8)
The revitalised Sze Fei-Izzuddin partnership have proved their mettle, following up their runners-up finish at the Asia Team Championships with a pivotal role in Malaysia's journey to the semi-finals in Chengdu. With an unbeaten streak in all three matches, their confidence is soaring, likely leading to another formidable performance and potentially securing the fourth point for Malaysia, despite possibly facing formidable world No. 8 pair Yu Chen-Xuan Yi next. While the head-to-head record stands at 2-2, recent encounters have favoured the Chinese duo. And China have the option of fielding world No. 11 pair Ren Xiang Yu-He Ji Ting.
Third singles: Justin Hoh (233) v Weng Hong Yang (16)
With Malaysia securing a 3-1 victory against Japan in the quarter-finals, Justin didn't need to step onto the court. However, as the team's third singles player, he undoubtedly has prepared himself for any scenario. Should the tie require a fifth match, Justin will face arguably the biggest test of his career, with Weng Hong Yang likely to be his opponent. Fans are eager to witness more from Justin, especially after his commendable performance against Rasmus Gemke, taking the match to three games during the group stage. While it's a daunting task to imagine Justin outshining a player of Hong Yang's calibre, another spirited performance from him would undoubtedly capture the attention of the world.
