Calm before the storm: Aaron Chia (back) and Soh Wooi Yik have an easy start in the Malaysian Open where they will play Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard of Denmark.
PETALING JAYA: Rain or shine, national director of coaching Rexy Mainaky’s target for top men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik is to see them win the Malaysian Open title.
Knowing that local pairs have a rich tradition in one of the oldest open tournaments in badminton, Rexy has always raised the bar when it comes the Malaysian Open taking place at the Axiata Arena from Jan 9-14.
Rexy has also been getting tough with all his charges and he wants Aaron-Wooi Yik to go for the title despite facing a tough challenge.
World No. 3 Aaron-Wooi Yik have an easy start where they will play Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard of Denmark and may meet compatriots Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the second round.
Their biggest challenge, however, is in the quarter-finals where they could take on world champions Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae and the Korean pair is in good form after winning the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou on Sunday.
China rivals Liu Yuchen-Ou Xuanyi or India’s world No. 2 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty could be the stumbling block in the semi-final.
“We cannot expect an easy draw because the level of the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and the mixed doubles at the top level is about the same. Aaron-Wooi Yik should take up this challenge to grab the men’s doubles title,” said Rexy.
“It is now time to be critical of the players rather than being nice to them. If we are doing this (pampering the players) even when they are not performing well, we are slowly killing their career.
“We must tell them to accept the challenge to become more established pairs in their respective events.”
Aaron-Wooi Yik did not fare well in the Malaysian Open last year where they lost in the second round to Yuchen-Xuanyi.
Having already broken their jinx by winning their first open title in the Denmark Open in October, Aaron-Wooi Yik can further boost their confidence if they can go all the way at the Malaysian Open.
Another Malaysian pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun will have an uphill task in their first round against world No. 1 Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang of China while independent pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Yi Ee also have a difficult opening round match-up against Taiwan’s Lu Ching-yau-Yang Po Han.
Injury-prone Pearly Tan and her partner M. Thinaah must also try to overcome personal differences to survive the first round against Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning of China in the women’s doubles.
Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing are the other Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) pair in the women’s doubles but will play second seeds Lee So-hee-Baek Ha-na of South Korea in the first round.
In the mixed doubles, eighth seeds Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei will face experienced French pair Thom Gicquel-Dephine Delrue in the first round.
Independent pairs Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See are the other Malaysians in the mixed doubles event.
