Kuala lumpur: The hopes of national mixed doubles player Chen Tang Jie to compete in the 2026 World Championships in India this August depend entirely on the level of recovery of his partner Toh Ee Wei, said national mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nova expressed a strong desire for a miraculous recovery for Ee Wei. However, he acknowledged that if Tang Jie and Ee Wei are unable to compete, their spot could not be filled by another pair due to the ranking-based qualification system. Nova emphasized the importance of Ee Wei's recovery, stating, "We hope for a miracle for Ee Wei. But if Tang Jie and Ee Wei cannot play, there is no replacement because qualification is based on rankings and the slots cannot be transferred."

Ee Wei is currently facing a time constraint to recover from a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee. The coaching staff is still awaiting developments on whether the player will need surgery or not. Nova explained, "If Ee Wei cannot return on time, Tang Jie and Clarissa will not go to the World Championships."

In the meantime, Nova stated that the Japan Open would serve as an initial assessment of the compatibility of the new Tang Jie-Clarissa San pairing. He urged national badminton fans not to place too high expectations on the pair during their debut, saying, "The preparations are okay, but I hope they don't set their expectations too high just yet. The important thing is that they give their best. From what I saw in training, I think they have the potential to do well."