Solid show: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun react after winning a point against Taiwan’s Chiang Chien-wei-Wu Hsuan-yi during the qualifying round. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s doubles shuttlers Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are fired up to improve their form after seeing teammates Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani shine this year.
While world No. 20 Wei Chong-Kai Wun have struggled for consistency, world No. 4 Aaron-Wooi Yik have maintained their form and Sze Fei-Izzuddin (No. 14) have also turned around their performances after going through a rough patch.
Now, Wei Chong-Kai Wun are determined not to be left behind.
The duo have only reached the quarter-finals once this year in the Swiss Open in March.
“We can see that Aaron-Wooi Yik and Sze Fei-Izzuddin are doing well and we are motivated to improve as well,” said Kai Wun.
“There’s still a gap between us and them and we want to catch up.
“Mentality is the most important thing and we need to learn to control our emotions on court.”
Wei Chong-Kai Wun booked their spot in the second round of the Malaysian Masters after beating Taiwan’s Chiang Chien-wei-Wu Hsuan-yi 22-20, 21-12 at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
The former had finished runners-up last year and are out to produce another good show in front of the passionate home fans.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will take on teammates and rising youngsters Choong Hon Jian-Mohd Haikal Nazri next for a place in the last eight.
Hon Jian-Haikal edged another Malaysian pair Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub 22-20, 21-19 in their opening match.
Haikal, who moved up one rung to No. 27 in the latest world rankings with Hon Jian, is looking forward to facing his seniors tomorrow.
“I prefer to play against higher ranked pairs as there’s no pressure on me and Hon Jian and we can really enjoy the game,” said Haikal.
“It was the same for us when we beat Japan’s world No. 16 Akira Koga-Taichi Saito in the Syed Modi International last November to win the title.
“We have nothing to lose against Wei Chong-Kai Wun and will just give our very best.”
Meanwhile, there was also joy for another young pair Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi, who defeated China’s Xie Haonan-Zeng Weihan 21-16, 21-12 to reach the second round.
Roy King-Arif, who moved up to a career-high No. 47 in the world after reaching the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open last week, will go up against Taiwan’s world No. 12 Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan next.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin made it a good day for Malaysia in the doubles when they also joined their teammates in the second round after ousting independent pair Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong 21-11, 21-19.
The duo will likely play Thailand’s world No. 42 Peeratchai Sukphun-Pakkapon Teeraratsakul next.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will begin their campaign today against South Korean qualifiers Kim Young-hyuk-Wang Chan.
RESULTS
(Malaysians unless stated)
Qualifying round
Men’s singles: Koo Takahashi (Jpn) bt Soong Joo Ven 21-14, 13-21, 21-14; K. Sathish Kumar (Ind) bt Cheam June Wei 21-15, 21-19; Jason Gunawan (Hkg) bt Mads Christophersen (Den) 21-14, 13-21, 21-19; Panitchapon Teeraratsakul (Tha) bt Ayush Shetty (Ind) 23-21, 16-21, 21-17.
Men’s doubles: Kim Young-hyuk-Wang Chan (Kor) bt Chia Weijie-Liew Xun 21-17, 21-18; Goh V Shem-Boon Xin Yuan bt Beh Chun Meng-Goh Boon Sze 21-17, 20-22, 21-18; Ming Che-lu-Tang Kai-wei (Tpe) bt Sirawit Sothon-Nattapat Trinkajee (Tha) 21-10, 21-10.
First round
Men’s doubles: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Chiang Chien-wei-Wu Hsuan-yi (Tpe) 22-20, 21-12; Choong Hon Jian-Mohd Haikal Nazri bt Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub 22-20, 21-19; Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi bt Xie Haonan-Zeng Weihan 21-16, 21-12; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong 21-11, 21-19; He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu (Chn) bt Chang Ko-chi-Po Li-wei (Tpe) 21-12, 23-21;,Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan (Tpe) bt Christo Popov-Toma Popov (Fra) 21-15, 21-15; Kim Gi-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor) bt Lin Bing-wei-Su Chingheng (Tpe) 21-7, 21-16; Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) bt Sabar Karyaman-Moh Reza (Ina) 21-11, 21-13.
