Since winning the Indonesian Open last June, they have failed to make the final in any of the Super Series – especially when players from China are around.

They have consistently crashed out at either the quarter-final or semi-final stages of major tournaments.

Eei Hui believes it’s time for them to step out of their “comfort zone”.

“We held the number one spot at one stage ... but now the players from China are dominating the top three spots,” said Eei Hui.

Eei Hui-Pei Tty are now the world number four and the three pairs ahead of them are Du Jing-Yu Yang, Ma Jin-Wang Xiaoli, Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei.

“The Chinese pairs are still better than us although we have narrowed the gap on them,” said Eei Hui.

The Malaysians have only beaten Cheng Shu-Yunlei once – en route to winning the Indonesian Open.

In fact, when Eei Hui-Pei Tty won the Super Series Masters Finals in Johor last December, none of the Chinese players took part.

“The All-England is another chance for us to stop playing second fiddle to the Chinese players. We hope to raise our game,” said Eei Hui.

Eei Hui-Pei Tty managed to reach the semi-finals of the All-England in 2007 and they are hoping to go one better this time.

They will take on Indonesia’s new scratch pair of Greysia Polii-Meiliana Jauhari, who did well to upset several top Korean pairs during the Uber Cup qualifying tournament in Thailand recently, in the first round today.

China’s Pan Pan-Tian Qing, Japan’s Mizuki Fujii-Reika Kakiiwa and top seeds Du Jing-Yu Yang of China are in the same half.

It will be tougher for Wong Mew Choo in the women’s singles as she will face third seed Jiang Yanjiao of China today.

Courtesy of The Star