PETALING JAYA: Chinese shuttlers Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang pose a big threat to Malaysia’s hopes in the men’s doubles in the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China.
The pair, who have reunited for the tourney after they were split up in the Swiss Open last month due to loss of form, are the defending champions and will be desperate to make amends at home and possibly try to save their partnership.
World No. 3 Weikeng-Wang Chang have struggled to maintain their high standards since capturing silver in the Paris Olympics last August.
The homesters though have derailed Malaysia’s dreams before when they beat Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the final last year and could again dent the country’s hopes. The duo are seeded second this time behind Sze Fei-Izzuddin and both pairs could potentially set up a repeat of the final last year if they manage to justify their respective seedings.
Weikeng-Wang Chang though have to navigate a tricky opening match against Taiwan’s world No. 20 Lee Fang-chih-Lee Fang-jen before a potential clash against another Malaysian pair Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi (No. 19) in the second round.
Meanwhile, world No. 2 Sze Fei-Izzuddin face a stern test in the first round today against Japan’s 2021 world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi.
The other men’s doubles pairs in action for the country today will be world No. 6 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and world No. 7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will open their campaign against Japanese combo Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura while Wei Chong-Kai Wun will play United Arab Emirates’ Dev Ayyappan-Dhiren Ayyappan.
Besides Weikeng-Wang Chang and the Malaysian pairs, the others vying for the title will be in-form South Koreans Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho, Indonesia’s world No. 4 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto and All-England runners-up Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana.
Seung-jae-Won-ho, who are the fifth seeds, have enjoyed a stunning start since combining this year, capturing the Malaysian Open, All-England and German Open titles together and will be out to add the Asian crown to their impressive collection.
