Boon Heong bets on Zii Jia's spark and Aaron-Wooi's steel at world meet

Paris Olympic Games bronze medal winners Lee Zii Jia, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. —AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

PETALING JAYA: One returns as underdog, the other as past champions.

But former great Tan Boon Heong has faith in both men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia and doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to deliver at the World Championships starting on Monday (Aug 25) in Paris.

 

The world meet in Paris mark a comeback for Zii Jia and chance to rediscover his spark after five months out with an ankle injury.

 

As for the 2022 winners Aaron-Wooi Yik, it is about proving again why they are Malaysia's most reliable big-stage performers.

 

Boon Heong believes both stories could still end in glory.

 

"For Zii Jia, the first and second rounds at the worlds will be very important. If he can find a way past these rounds, he could pull off something special," said Boon Heong.

 

Zii Jia, whose rankings has dropped to No. 52 in the world, will open his campaign against South Korea’s world No. 38 Jeon Hyeok-jin.

A win could see him go up against China’s world No. 4 Li Shifeng for a place in the third round.

"We don’t know how is his current physical condition but all the fans are hoping he can get a good result."

The 27-year-old Zii Jia's best performance in the prestigious event so far came in the 2021 edition in Huelva, Spain where he made it into the quarter-finals before going down to Denmark’s Anders Antonsen.

In the last two editions in 2022 and 2023, Zii Jia lost in the third round.

Unlike Zii Jia, Boon Heong says Aaron-Wooi Yik have the knack of rising to the big occasions, notably winning bronze medals in the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics, 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and 2023 world meet in Copenhagen.

"Aaron-Wooi Yik are more confident in major events. Their achievements speak for themselves," said Boon Heong.

"They have won two medals in the Olympics and they have showed that they can handle the pressure.

"They definitely have a chance to win their second world title, especially with the competition looking open this time."

Boon Heong himself has an impressive record in the big tournaments with Koo Kien Keat.

The 37-year-old and Kien Keat won a bronze and silver in the world meet in the 2009 and 2010 editions respectively and captured gold in the 2006 Asian Games.

Boon Heong believes that Aaron-Wooi Yik's potential opponents are not as formidable as they were before though and can be beaten.

The duo need to navigate a difficult draw with a possible last eight clash against either China’s Paris Olympics silver medallists Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang or India’s 2022 Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty awaiting.

"Weikeng-Wang Chang and Satwiksairaj-Chirag have not won any titles so far this year," said Boon Heong.

"The Chinese and Indian pairs are not as strong as they were in the past few years, so Aaron-Wooi Yik have a chance to beat either pair.

"For me, the draw is not important. Whoever they face, they need to stay focused."

For Aaron-Wooi Yik, they are aiming to reach their sixth final this year after claiming the Asian Championships, Singapore Open and Thailand Open and finishing runners-up in the China Open and Malaysian Masters.