January 21, 2025
PETALING JAYA – Men’s doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are slowly getting back into their groove after going through a tough period.
Aaron-Wooi Yik reached the semi-finals of the Indian Open before narrowly losing 20-22, 19-21 to South Korea’s Malaysian Open champions Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho in New Delhi on Saturday.
Despite the defeat, it was a positive outing for the 2022 world champions after struggling for form following their bronze medal win in the Paris OIympics last August. Wooi Yik suffered a toe injury in the Olympics while Aaron has been managing a shoulder problem.
The pair did not get past the quarter-finals in any of their tournaments after the Olympics last year except for winning the World Tour Super 300 Korean Masters last November.
Despite their physical issues, Aaron-Wooi Yik went on to qualify for the prestigious season ending World Tour Finals for the fifth time last month.
The up and down form continued as they suffered a second round exit in the Malaysian Open last week but did well to bounce back in India.
Aaron believes the duo are slowly regaining their rhythm and hopes to continue doing well.
“We are slowly getting better and better. We are getting back to where we are used to be,” said Aaron.
“Our confidence is also higher but there’s still room for improvement. We are not yet like how we were in the Olympics but this is a good sign for us.”
Aaron-Wooi Yik are out to build on their showing in India when they compete in the Indonesian Masters which starts today in Jakarta. The pair are seeded second in the tourney behind home favourites Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto and will open their campaign against Denmark’s William Kryger-Christain Faust.
The other Malaysians in the men’s doubles are Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong, Lim Tze Jian-Wong Tien Ci and world junior champions Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing.
Meanwhile, Indian Open champions and world No. 2 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have elected to skip the tournament.
In the men’s singles, world No. 28 Leong Jun Hao will be Malaysia’s sole representative and has a tough opener against China’s world No. 21 Weng Hongyang.
It will be a rematch of the Indian Open second round where Hongyang won.
The country’s other representatives are Goh Jin Wei, K. Letshanaa (women’s singles), Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing, Lim Chiew Sien-Lai Pei Jing (women’s doubles), Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin and Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien (mixed doubles).