Pumped-up Aaron-Wooi Yik go the distance to lift first Open title this year

Malaysia men’s doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia (right) and Soh Wooi Yik. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Top men doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik fought hard to capture their first Open title this year at the Korean Masters.

The world No. 6 did not have it easy as they were taken to the distance by South Koreans Jin Yong-Kim Won-ho before the Malaysians prevailed with a 21-23, 21-19, 21-14 win at Iksan City.

Aaron-Wooi Yik, who were desperate to lift their first Open title, went down in the first game 21-23. It was also a close duel in the second but they stood solid to win 21-19 and forced a decider.

In the tense third game, the two-time Olympic Games bronze medal winners Aaron-Wooi Yik went ahead from the get-go but the Koreans kept snapping at their heels, before the Malaysians finally romped home for victory in 66 minutes

The key was to contain the experienced Won-ho and they did exactly that.

The 25-year-old Korean has 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.

With the hard-fought win, Aaron-Wooi Yik become the first Malaysians to win the men's doubles title at the Korean Masters.

FINAL RESULTS

Men's singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Wang Zhengxing (Chn) 21-18, 21-18.

Men's doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt Jin Yong-Kim Won-ho (Kor) 21-23, 21-19, 21-14.

Women's singles: Putri Kusuma Wardani (Ina) bt Han Qian-xi (Chn) 21-14, 21-14.

Women's doubles: Kim Hye-jeong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor) bt Li Yi-jing-Luo Xu-min (Chn) 21-14, 16-21, 21-18.

Mixed doubles: Guo Xinwa-Chen Fang-hui (Chn) bt Dejan Ferdinansyah-Gloria Emanuelle (Ina) 21-10, 21-12.