PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have an opportunity to redeem themselves in the Malaysian Masters after disappointing showings in the home Open in January.
Expectations were high on world No. 2 Sze Fei-Izzuddin and world No. 5 Aaron-Wooi Yik to deliver in the Malaysian Open but both pairs suffered early round exits.
The men’s doubles title at home has continued to prove elusive with Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah the last Malaysians to capture the crown in both the Open (2014) and Masters (2013).
Sze Fei-Izzuddin and Aaron-Wooi Yik will be keen to make amends by ending the long wait for a men’s doubles title at the home meet starting on Tuesday at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
Both pairs’ chances have been boosted by the absence of most of the top Indonesian and South Korean combos.
Indonesia have opted against sending the likes of world No. 4 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto and world No. 10 Leo Rolly-Bagas Maulana while South Korea’s Malaysian Open and All-England champions Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho will also be absent.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin are the competition’s second seeds behind Denmark’s world No. 1 and defending champions Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen while the third and fourth seeds are China’s Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang and Aaron-Wooi Yik respectively.
The pros Sze Fei-Izzuddin will open their campaign against French combo Eloi Adam-Leo Rossi while Aaron-Wooi Yik face Taiwan’s Wang Chi-lin-Chiu Hsiang-chieh in the first round.
Meanwhile, the other Malaysian men’s pairs in the fray are Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi, Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian, Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong, Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing and Fazriq Razif-Bryan Jeremy Goonting.
