The two will be paired in mixed doubles in a cross-country partnership at this season's BWF World Tour tournaments. Gloria welcomed the opportunity, especially as she and Hee already knew each other's playing styles from numerous training sessions and previous encounters at tournaments.
"When I received the offer to partner with Terry, I thought why not give it a try. Terry is a very intelligent tactical player, has good skills, and already has a lot of experience in high-level matches," Gloria said, as reported by the Straits Times on Monday.
The 32-year-old player revealed that experience is an important asset in building new collaborations, especially in the mixed doubles sector which demands communication and understanding of roles on the court.
"We've also faced each other in previous competitions and have practiced together. I believe in Terry, and hopefully we can work well together in future tournaments and achieve good results," he added.
Gloria is one of Indonesia's most experienced mixed doubles players. The 2011 world junior champion reached world number six with Hafiz Faisal in 2019, number eight with Dejan Ferdinansyah in 2024, and number 13 with Rehan Kusharjanto in 2025.
The opportunity to compete at the 2026 Indonesia Masters with Hee came after Gloria's previous partner, Rehan Kusharjanto, suffered a serious knee injury. However, Gloria emphasized that she would wait for Rehan's recovery and was open to competing with other partners.
Singapore's national doubles coach Paulus Firman considers Gloria the right person to accompany Hee because of her experience and understanding in the mixed doubles sector.
"Gloria has been playing mixed doubles for a long time and understands her role up front very well. In terms of technical quality and experience, she's at a high level," said Paulus.
During this partnership, Gloria will continue training in Indonesia with PB Djarum, while Hee will undergo a training program in Singapore with the Badminton Association of Singapore. The two will meet according to the tournament schedule.
The 2026 Indonesia Masters will be an initial evaluation for the international duo before undergoing regular performance assessments throughout the season.
