In sync: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik showed improvement in their win over Thailand’s Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh, combining and supporting each other well throughout the match.
KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are not letting their guard down despite getting closer to their goal of reaching the podium at the Indian Open.
The former world champions Aaron-Wooi Yik defeated Thailand’s Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh 21-18, 21-18 in the quarter-finals at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi yesterday to progress but they want to be cautious.
They showed improvement in their win, combining and supporting each other well throughout the match.
Aaron-Wooi Yik however, still remember the trauma of losing to the home pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty of India in the semi-finals last year.
Today, they will face the winners of the match between Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae of South Korea and second seeds Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang of China and refused to get ahead of themselves.
Wooi Yik said they have regained their confidence but would still be wary.
“We will just keep continuing with our process here,” said Wooi Yik in a post match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“I think our performance is slowly getting better, and we hope to keep the momentum going without expecting too much.
Malaysia are fortunate to have another men’s doubles pair – Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani advancing to the semi-finals.
The world No. 2 booked their last four spot after comfortably defeating the Taiwanese pair Lee Fang-Chih-Lee Fang-Jen, 21-11, 21-17 in yesterday’s quarter-final.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin are determined to repay the faith shown by their coach Teo Kok Siang after enduring a difficult week last week, where they were knocked out early at the Malaysian Open.
Izzuddin had been unwell with a fever on home soil then, but they refused to use that as an excuse. They are now determined to make up for their disappointment by aiming for a spot in the final of the Indian Open.
“It was a tough week last week, but thanks to our coach (Kok Siang), who kept encouraging us, and we will do our best tomorrow,” said Sze Fei.
“We’re happy to have reached world No. 2, but I think the most important thing is our performance.
“We will continue working on improving it,” added Sze Fei.
It was a glorious day for Malaysia as they also have placed representatives in the women’s doubles (Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah) and mixed doubles (Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei).
