KUALA LUMPUR — National top men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will be hoping to maintain their consistency in delivering Malaysia’s sole medal from the badminton camp in the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The former world champions defeated China’s Liu Yuchen-Ou Xuanyi in the quarter-finals at the Binjiang Gymnasium today.
The world’s number six pair cruised to the semifinals of the individual event after spending 81 minutes to defeat their world number eight opponents in rubber games, 21-18, 19-21,21-18.
They are expected to play either Singapore’s Nge Joo Jie-Johann Prajogo or India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty in tomorrow’s semi-finals.
The last time Malaysia won a gold medal in the men’s double category was back in the 2006 Doha Asian Games through Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.
Earlier, Malaysian women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah ended their journey in the quarter-finals following their defeat to South Korea’s world number two pair, Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee.
Debutants Pearly-Thinaah fought hard to battle against the South Koreans, 15-21, 21-11, 7-21, in a match which lasted for 85 minutes.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s quest to win a medal in the men’s singles category came to an end as Ng Tze Yong was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Japan’s Kodai Naraoka.
The 23-year-old was defeated 20-22, 15-21 in straight games against the world number three player in a match which lasted for 57 minutes. — October 5, 2023.