KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, booked a spot in the quarter-finals of the India Open with their win today.
Going up against Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura, the fourth-seeded Malaysians did not face much resistance, dispatching their 31st-ranked opponents in straight sets, 21-10, 21-14, at the K. D. Jadhav Indoor Hall.
Their win sets the stage for an enticing showdown against China’s Liu Yuchen and Ou Xuanyi, who eliminated fellow Malaysians Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the earlier match.
With their eyes on advancing in the Super 750 event, Aaron and Wooi Yik, the Olympic bronze medalists, seek to avenge their compatriots.
Last week, the duo also made it to the quarterfinals of the Super 1000 Malaysia Open at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, but their journey was cut short by reigning world champions Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae from South Korea.
Meanwhile in the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah could not handle the attacking play of world number five pair Japan’s Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida.
They wilted under the pressure and were defeated in straight sets of 21-16, 21-13 in 44 minutes.
Thinaah said they were disappointed with their performance due to the pressure imposed by their opponents’ aggressive playstyle.
She pinpointed the mental aspect as a crucial area for improvement.
“Right now, the issue with our game is more on the mental side than the physical side.
“We are still trying to find our rhythm, but there is a solution to everything, so we just have to work on ourselves for the next games,” during a post-match interview with BWF. – January 18, 2024