KUALA LUMPUR – The victory of Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, at the Swiss Open early this morning is being hailed as a sweet success after years of struggle.
After two consecutive years of falling short in the tournament’s final, Soon Huat and Shevon secured the title this year by defeating their fellow Malaysians, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, with a commanding score of 21-16, 21-13.
Their victory at St Jakobshalle, Basel not only ended a six-year drought for a championship title but also etched their names in history as the first Malaysian mixed doubles pair to win the prestigious Swiss Open since its inception in 1955.
The victory prize of US$16,590 (RM78,483) is a testament to their hard work and determination. For Shevon, this win was the culmination of a long and arduous journey, one she believes was guided by a higher power.
For the record, they not only fell short of remarkable results in several international tournaments, but what was most disheartening was that Shevon-Soon Huat also missed the chance to make their debut appearance at the Paris Olympics in July.
“It’s just incredible, I don’t know what else I could say. But of course, first and foremost, I really thank God for this title.
“We’ve been waiting for so long, it’s been six years, and so much has gone through in between.
“I think, having this feeling now, so much is going through my mind. It’s like everything was paced out after all the hardships that we’ve been through, just building us (up) for this.
“We have failed to get the results that we wanted previously, but thinking back, God really wanted us to grow into individuals who are so much stronger compared to us in the past.
“I think one of the proudest moments for us in this match is how we controlled our mindset and emotions,” said Shevon.
The world’s 14th-ranked pair will proceed with their European tour as they join the Spain Masters, set to commence tomorrow. They are slated to take on China’s Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi in the first round. – March 25, 2024