PETALING JAYA: Professionals Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin are on a roll in the Arctic Open but Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will need some time to regain their match rhythm after suffering a defeat.
China Open champions Sze Fei-Izzuddin lived dangerously before pulling off a hard-fought 23-21, 19-21, 22-20 win over Indonesia’s world No. 6 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto to reach the semi-finals.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin will next face the winners of the match between Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun for a place in the final. They have a chance to win another title if they keep up their good form.
Aaron-Wooi Yik, however, who were competing in their first tournament since winning bronze in the Paris Olympics in August, were far from their best when they went down 13-21, 8-21 to England’s world No. 16 Ben Lane-Sean Vendy in the second round in Vantaa, Finland, on Thursday.
It was Aaron-Wooi Yik’s second defeat to the English pair in seven meetings after losing to the latter in the semi-finals of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
The 26-year-old Wooi Yik and Aaron, 27, made a good start by beating China’s world No. 21 Chen Boyang-Liu Yi 21-18, 21-18 in the first round but struggled against Lane-Vendy and lost in just 31 minutes.
The defeat was far from ideal for the duo as they are hoping to defend their title in the Denmark Open next week.
Men’s doubles coach Tan Bin Shen admitted that Aaron-Wooi Yik needed some time to return to their best.
“Wooi Yik has recovered from his injury but he and Aaron have not competed for two months and their tournament feeling on court is still not very good,” said Bin Shen.
“We will analyse the game again. Hopefully, they can do better in the Denmark Open.”
The world No. 4 had to miss the Opens in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and China after Wooi Yik fractured his toe in the Olympic Games semi-finals against China’s world No. 1 Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang.
Meanwhile, women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah also had no problems booking their spot in the quarter-finals when they swept aside Dutch and Ukrainian combination Kirsten De Wit-Mariia Stoliarenko 21-10, 21-11.
Pearly-Thinaah will play Taiwan’s Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tun next.
RESULTS
(Malaysians only)
Second round
Men’s doubles: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Alexander Dunn-Adam Pringle (Sco) 21-10, 21-15; Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) bt Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik 21-13, 21-8.
Women’s doubles: Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah bt Kirsten De Wit-Mariia Stoliarenko (Ned-Ukr) 21-10, 21-11.
Quarter-finals
Men’s doubles: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (Ina) 23-21, 19-21, 22-20.
Mixed doubles: Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie bt Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin 21-19, 21-15.
