In focus: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in action during their first round match at the Indian Open against compatriots Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub. — Reuters
PETALING JAYA: Shuttlers Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are ready to answer men’s doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi’s call to step up in support of national No. 1 pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik.
Herry had issued the call to his other charges to challenge for titles after Aaron-Wooi Yik finished runners-up to South Korea’s world No. 1 Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho in the Malaysian Open on Sunday.
The world No. 2 were the country’s sole representatives in the home Open final.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun started off on the right foot in the Indian Open after beating fellow Malaysians Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub 21-16, 21-15 in just 29 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi on Tuesday.
After the commanding win, the world No. 6 duo said that they hope to emulate Aaron-Wooi Yik and former greats Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.
“We have not achieved a lot compared to our seniors Kien Keat-Boon Heong, Soon Kit-Kim Hock and now Aaron-Wooi Yik,” said Wei Chong.
“We are still catching up with them and we hope to match them.”
Wei Chong-Kai Wun have an opportunity to achieve a personal milestone in the Indian tourney after Seung-jae-Won-ho withdrew from the event.
The in-form Koreans conceded a walkover in their first round match against Taiwan’s He Zhi-wei-Huang Jui-hsuan yesterday.
With Indonesia’s world No. 4 Fajar Alfian-Shohibul Fikri also pulling out earlier, the competition has been thrown wide open, enhancing Wei Chong-Kai Wun and the other Malaysian pairs’ chances of grabbing the title.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun have never won a World Tour Super 750 title and will be out to end their wait.
The pair’s best achievement was winning the Super 500 Indonesian Masters and Malaysian Masters last year.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will next play French brothers Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov for a place in the last eight.
The world No. 24 duo prevented an-all Malaysian second round clash after defeating world No. 33 Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian 21-11, 21-19.
Meanwhile, Aaron-Wooi Yik made it into the second round after junior teammates Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing were forced to retire during the match with the scores at 21-12, 11-6. It is learnt that the 19-year-old Aaron suffered pain in his back and had to throw in the towel.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will next face Japan’s Takumi Nomura-Yuichi Shimogami, who broke the hearts of another Malaysian pair Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi by coming out on top 26-28, 21-18, 22-20.
Independent pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi suffered a premature exit after losing 15-21, 18-21 to homesters Hariharan Amsakarunan-M. R. Arjun.
