PETALING JAYA: Whether it was a lingering jinx against England’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy or simply another factor behind their under-par performance in the first round of the Hong Kong Open yesterday, only Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik know the answer.
The top seeds in the men’s doubles event were sent packing after a tame 13-21, 13-21 defeat to Lane-Vendy in just 28 minutes.
This was not the first time Aaron-Wooi Yik had fallen to the world No. 15 pair. Of their seven previous meetings, the Malaysians won five, while Lane-Vendy’s two victories came in the semi-finals of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the second round of the Arctic Open last year.
Even so, yesterday’s loss was still regarded as a shock, as the Hong Kong Open had been seen as the perfect stage for Aaron-Wooi Yik to bounce back after their disappointing outing at the World Championships in Paris two weeks ago.
England coach Tan Kian Meng, a former Malaysian mixed doubles shuttler, revealed that he did not employ any extraordinary game plan for Lane-Vendy in this match.
Instead, he felt that Aaron-Wooi Yik simply did not play to their true level.
“I feel Aaron and Wooi Yik did not perform very well in today’s match. I didn’t really give Lane-Vendy any specific game plan, only a little bit, which I can’t reveal.
“Maybe Aaron-Wooi Yik have not fully recovered from the World Championships, and that affected their performance. I believe they will do better at the China Masters,” said Kian Meng when contacted.
Although Aaron-Wooi Yik’s campaign has ended, Malaysia can still count on Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, who overcame compatriots Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong in the first round yesterday.
Fifth seeds Wei Chong-Kai Wun secured a 21-19, 21-12 victory and will next face Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei-Yang Po-hsuan in the second round.
The Taiwanese duo had earlier ousted another Malaysian pair, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, 22-24, 22-20, 21-17.
