PETALING JAYA: A short break has refreshed men’s doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (pic) ahead of the Asian Championships which starts today in Ningbo, China.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will be back in tournaments after last competing in the All-England last month where they suffered a disappointing first-round defeat at the hands of Denmark’s Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard.
The 2022 world champions will be out to make amends in Ningbo after their below par showing in Birmingham.
Aaron was hampered by a shoulder injury in Europe but has been passed fit to compete in the Asian meet after undergoing rehabilitation.
The 28-year-old and Wooi Yik can take heart from their previous outings in the Asian meet.
The world No. 6 pair finished runners-up in the 2022 edition to Indonesia’s Pramudya Kusumawardana-Yeremia Rambitan and won bronze last year.
This time, Aaron-Wooi Yik will play Japan’s world No. 24 Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura in the first round.
The duo will also be keen to do well in the tourney and give themselves a boost ahead of the Sudirman Cup from April 27-May 4.
Meanwhile, world No. 2 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, world No. 7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi will also be in the fray for Malaysia in the men’s doubles.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who are the top seeds, face a tough test against Japan’s 2021 world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi in their opening match while Wei Chong-Kai Wun should have no problems overcoming the United Arab Emirates’ Dev Ayyappan-Dhiren Ayyappan.
Roy King-Arif also have a favourable first match against Singapore’s Wesley Koh-Junsuke Kubo.
In the women’s doubles, world No. 5 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah will spearhead the country’s challenge and will be joined by Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee, Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting and Lee Zhi Qing-Sue Xin Tio while the mixed doubles representatives are Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin, Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien and Roy King-Valeree Siow.
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