PETALING JAYA: World No. 2 men’s doubles shuttler Aaron Chia has proposed that Malaysia field scratch pairs for the SEA Games in Thailand this December.
He believes the biennial event is the perfect platform to test new tactical combinations, as it does not offer any ranking points under the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The move, he said, could serve as an ideal early preparation for the Thomas Cup in Horsens, Denmark, next May.
Aaron has already raised the suggestion with his coach, Herry Iman Pierngadi, adding that it should apply not only to the team event but also to the individual categories.
“I think Wooi Yik and I have already won a gold medal before (2019 in Manila) , and this time we have a strong team going to the SEA Games. So I feel we should focus more on the team event first.
“I also hope that maybe at the SEA Games, we can try out some scratch pairs and see how it goes. We’ve discussed it and we think it’s worth a try. Of course, we won’t take it lightly just because it’s a scratch pairing — we’ll still go all out. But it’s a good chance to experiment and see what works ahead of the Thomas Cup next year,” he said.
Aaron has no problem being separated from his regular partner, Soh Wooi Yik, for the sake of trying out new combinations in Thailand.
He also sees no reason to worry about breaking up established pairs, pointing out that new partnerships could even turn out stronger — much like Indonesia’s bold move to reshuffle their men’s doubles combinations.
“I think scratch pairs can actually be stronger. If you look at Fajar (Alfian) and (Muhammad Shohibul) Fikri, they started as a scratch pair and they’re strong. So maybe we can surprise our opponents too. In team events especially, using scratch pairs can sometimes be an advantage,” he added.
However, Fajar-Shohibul were not included in Indonesia’s squad for this year’s SEA Games. Instead, the team will rely on world No. 16 pair Leo Rolly Carnando-Bagas Maulana and the young duo Raymond Indra-Nikolas Joaquin.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have named 10 male players for the trip to Thailand, including Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh, Eogene Ewe and Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin for the singles event.
Aaron and Wooi Yik will spearhead the men’s doubles line-up alongside Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, while mixed doubles shuttlers Cheng Tang Jie and Hoo Pang Ron complete the squad.
