All the best: Malaysia’s men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will be out to reach their first semi-finals in the World Tour Finals.
PETALING JAYA: Shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have a tough task to overcome Chinese pairs at home in a bid to reach their first semi-finals in the World Tour Finals.
In a draw released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Monday, the former world champions Aaron-Wooi Yik have been drawn in Group A with homesters Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang and Liu Yuchen-Ou Xuanyi.
And to make it even more challenging, they also have Japan's Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi for company.
The Finals, which is the season finale that offers a lucrative US$2.5mil (RM11.7mil) prize money, starts today in Hangzhou, China.
In Group B are reigning world champions Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae and they are pitted together with Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark and top two Indonesian pairs Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto Shohibul Fikri-Bagas Maulana.
Only the top two from each group advance to the semis.
In the mixed doubles, debutants Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei have been drawn in Group A with Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping of China, Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan, and Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand.
In the men's singles, Viktor Axelsen of Denmark is looking good to win his third Finals' crown.
THE DRAW
Men's singles
Group A: Kodai Naraoka (Jpn), Shi Yuqi (Chn), Anthony Ginting (Ina), Viktor Axelsen (Den).
Group B: Jonatan Christie (Ina), Anders Antonsen (Den), Li Shifeng (Chn), Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha).
Men's doubles
Group A: Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang (Chn), Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas), Liu Yuchen-Ou Xuanyi (Mas), Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn).
Group B: Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (Ina), Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae (Kor), Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den), Shohibul Fikri-Bagas Maulana (Ina).
Women's singles
Group A: An Se-young (Kor), Tai Tzu-ying (Tpe), Kim Ga-eun (Kor), Gregoria Mariska (Ina).
Group B: Chen Yufei (Chn), Carolina Marin (Spa), Han Yue (Chn), Zhang Beiwen (US).
Women's doubles
Group A: Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan (Chn), Mayu Matsutomo-Wakana Nagahara (Jpn), Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia (Ina), Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn).
Group B: Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee (Kor), Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida (Jpn), Kim So-yeong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor), Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai (Tha).
Mixed doubles
Group A: Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (Chn), Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino (Jpn), Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (Mas), Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha).
Group B: Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong (Chn), Seo Seung-jae-Chae Yu-jung (Kor), Kim Won-ho-Jeong Na-eun (Kor), Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg).
