Moving on: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will play Taiwan’s Lu Ching-yao-Yang Po-han in the last eight today.
PETALING JAYA: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik once again saved the day for Malaysia after becoming the only doubles pair to make in into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
National No. 1 men’s doubles pair Aaron-Wooi Yik were also the only doubles representatives to reach the last eight in the Japan Open last week.
The duo beat Taiwan’s Chiu Hsiang-chieh-Yang Ming-tse 21-19, 21-14 in the second round at Quaycentre in Sydney yesterday.
World No. 4 Aaron-Wooi Yik will next play another Taiwanese pair, world No. 15 Lu Ching-yao-Yang Po-han for a place in the last four.
It was the end of the road though for two other pairs – Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi went down fighting 21-18, 17-21, 19-21 to Japan Open winners and reigning Olympics champions Lee Yang-Wang-Chi-lin.
It was another agonising defeat for the former after also losing out to the latter in three games in the same round in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Sze Fei-Izzuddin fell 16-21, 21-23 to Malaysian Masters champions Kang Min-hyuk-Seo-Seung-jae of South Korea.
In the mixed doubles, it was more misery for Malaysia when three pairs – Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Hoo Pang Ron-Teoh Mei Xing – all went down in three games.
Taiwan Open winners Tang Jie-Ee Wei were the closest to a winning but ended up on losing narrowly to Indonesia’s Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas with a 16-21, 21-17, 19-21 scoreline.
Mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto expressed concern over the pair’s form lately.
Since their triumph in the Taiwan tourney in June, Tang Jie-Ee Wei have not made it into the last eight in any of their tournaments.
“I’m definitely not happy with their performance in Australia,” said Nova.
“This is their second defeat to Rinov-Pitha.
“I’m more upset because Tang Jie-Ee Wei played with a lack of confidence and made a lot of simple mistakes.
“They seem to be struggling with their opponent’s style of play.
“They have been playing under more pressure since winning the Taiwan Open perhaps because the race to qualify for the Paris Olympics next year is heating up.
“They need to regain their confidence fast with the World Championships (Aug 21-27) coming up next for them.”
Soon Huat-Shevon have also been struggling for form lately and went down 17-21, 21-18, 17-21 to Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito.
It was their seventh straight early round defeat in individual events.
Pang Ron-Mei Xing meanwhile lost out 20-22, 21-11, 12-21 to third seeds Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yu-jung of Korea.
RESULTS
(Malaysians only)
Second round
Men’s singles: Ng Tze Yong bt Jonatan Christie (Ina) 22-20, 21-15; Lee Zii Jia bt Mithun Manjunath (Ind) 21-13, 12-21, 21-19.
Men’s doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt Chiu Hsiang-chieh-Yang Ming-tse (Tpe) 21-19, 21-14; Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin (Tpe) bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 18-21, 21-17, 21-19; Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae (Kor) bt Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani 21-16, 23-21.
Mixed doubles: Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas (Ina) bt Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei 21-16, 17-21, 21-19; Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito (Jpn) 21-17, 18-21, 21-17; Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yu-jung (Kor) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Teoh Mei Xing 22-20, 11-21, 21-12.
