Best contenders: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (below) will not have it easy at the World Tour Finals but they won’t go down without a fight. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Seasoned campaigners Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are hoping to clear the group stage for the first time in the World Tour Finals while debutants Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are banking on their first-timer luck to shine.
With a healthy rivalry going on between the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and professionals Sze Fei-Izzuddin, Malaysia can expect an eight-year title drought to end in the Finals starting today in Hangzhou, China.
Malaysia last won a title in the World Tour Finals through a doubles pair – Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong at the 2016 edition in Dubai.
In fact, before the new and more lucrative version of the Finals started in 2018, the winners in the season finale, previously known as the Super Series Finals, were men’s singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013), doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (2008), womenWong Mew Choo (2008) and Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (2009).
The wait has been too long, and on paper, Malaysia have the best chance to end it in the men’s doubles.
Aaron-Wooi Yik are in Group A with China’s He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu and Indonesians Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto of Indonesia, Sabar Karyawan-Reza Pahlevi.
It’s the Malaysian’s fourth Finals outing but they have been luckless in all after failure to come out of the group stage.
The two-time Olympic Games bronze medal winners Aaron-Wooi Yik’s chance will brighten if they can silence home stars Jiting-Xiangyu today and confirm their tickets for semi-finals if they beat Fajar-Rian tomorrow.
Coach Tan Bin Shen said: “They have made it into the Finals as the last qualifiers, and now, they are determined to go as far as possible. Hopefully, they will achieve their breakthrough this week.”
Sze Fei-Izzuddin on the other hand had been riding high in the second half this year by winning three Open titles in Japan, China and Finland and are seeded fourth in their first Finals.
The others in their Group B are Denmark’s Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen and pairs from Taiwan – Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan and Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin.
On paper, Sze Fei-Izzuddin look to have a better chance to clear the group stage.
“They have been quite consistent this year and I hope they will keep that momentum going in this last tournament of the year,” said the pros’ coach Teo Kok Siang.
Malaysia also have two pairs in the mixed doubles – experienced Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei but the favourites to win are China’s Zheng Siwei-Huang Dongping.
Siwei, the most successful player in the current batch having won all the major tournaments, has decided to retire after getting married and becoming a father and the Finals will be his last badminton assignment.
In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah have tough company in Group A with Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning of China, Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida of Japan and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand of India.
It will an achievement if they come through the group stage.
Pro Lee Zii Jia is Malaysia’s hope in the men’s singles and it will take an herculean effort for him to be the second shuttler after Chong Wei to end the season as a champion.
