Tough task ahead: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik face a tricky test in the Korean Masters final today against home pair Kim Won-ho-Jin Yong.
PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have a good opportunity to end their title drought on the World Tour this year after booking their spot in the Korean Masters final.
Aaron-Wooi Yik showed signs of returning to their best form when they defeated Taiwan’s two-time Olympic Games champion Wang Chi-lin and his new partner Chiu Hsiang-chieh 21-17, 21-16 in the last four in Iksan City yesterday.
The world No. 6 were struggling to get back to the form that saw them win bronze in the Paris Olympics in August but played well against the tricky new Taiwanese combination to come away with the win in just 36 minutes.
Aaron-Wooi Yik suffered a second-round exit when they made their competitive return after the Olympics in the Arctic Open last month, then lost in the quarter-finals of the Denmark Open.
The pair, though, have raised their game since then and have now made it into their first final since finishing runners-up in the All-England in March.
The top seeds will be out to end their wait for a title this year but face another tricky test in the final today against home pair Kim Won-ho-Jin Yong.
Won-ho-Jin Yong had to dig deep to beat teammates Seo Seung-jae-Ki Dong-ju 16-21, 21-19, 21-16 in an exhausting 79-minute clash to book their own spot in the title match.
Aaron-Wooi Yik have never played against the Korean scratch pair before this but will not have it easy against the latter, who will have the home support behind them.Won-ho is a versatile player, who can comfortably play in both men’s and mixed doubles.
The 25-year-old won silver in the mixed doubles in the Paris Games along with Jeong Na-eun and also finished runners-up in the men’s doubles with Choi Sol-gyu in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
For the record, Aaron-Wooi Yik suffered a painful 21-11, 19-21, 19-21 defeat at the hands of Jin Yong and another partner, Na Sung-seung in the quarter-finals of the Malaysian Masters in May.
The 2022 world champions and two-time Olympic bronze medallists will be out for revenge against the 21-year-old this time.
Aaron-Wooi Yik last won a title in the Denmark Open last year which was also their sole World Tour crown so far.
Meanwhile, in the men’s singles, Thailand’s Paris Olympics silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn is also out to capture his first title this year when he takes on China’s Wang Zhengxing in the final.
Kunlavut ousted India’s Kiran George 21-12, 22-20 in the last four while Zhengxing beat homester Cho Geon-yeop 9-21, 21-15, 21-10.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Men’s singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Kiran George (Ind) 21-12, 22-20; Wang Zhengxing (Chn) bt Cho Geon-yeop (Kor) 9-21, 21-15, 21-10.
Men’s doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt Wang Chi-lin-Chiu Hsiang-chieh 21-17, 21-16; Kim Won-ho-Jin Yong (Kor) bt Seo Seung-jae-Ki Dong-ju (Kor) 16-21, 21-19, 21-16.
Women’s singles: Putri Kusuma (Ina) bt Chiu Pin-chian (Tpe) 21-13, 21-13; Han Qianxi (Chn) bt Tomoka Miyazaki (Jpn) 21-18, 21-8.
Women’s doubles: Kim Hye-jeong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor) bt Kim Boryeong-Kim So-yeong (Kor) 21-15, 19-21, 21-11; Li Yijing-Luo Xumin (Chn) bt Febriana Dwipuji-Amallia Cahaya (Ina) 21-10, 21-11.
Mixed doubles: Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui (Chn) bt Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) 16-21, 21-14, 23-21; Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuelle (Ina) bt Ko Sung-hyun-Eom Hye-won (Kor) 21-18, 21-7.
