PETALING JAYA: National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky was full of praise for Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik after the pair showed they still belonged among the world’s best by reaching the World Championships final in New Delhi.
Aaron-Wooi Yik may have fallen short against China’s world No. 3 Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang in the final, but Rexy felt there was plenty to admire from their run throughout the tournament.
After all, the pair had only reunited for the world meet after being split two months earlier, with Wooi Yik partnering Man Wei Chong and Aaron playing with Aaron Tai.
Yet there was little sign of rust as Aaron-Wooi Yik went all the way to the final, including a superb win over defending champions and world No. 1 Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae of South Korea in the semi-finals.
“Aaron-Wooi Yik showed their class. They were separated after the Japan Open but came back together for the World Championships and played very well,” said Rexy.
“For them to finish on the podium at the World Championships was a very good effort.”
Rexy felt the final simply did not go their way as Weikeng-Wang Chang produced the better performance to win 21-17, 21-16 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
“In the final, I felt it just wasn’t their day. Credit also goes to the Chinese pair, especially Wang Chang, who played very well and got the better of Aaron at the front court,” he added.
Aaron-Wooi Yik have now won all three colours of medals at the World Championships.
Four years ago, they made history by becoming Malaysia’s first badminton world champions in Tokyo in 2022.
A year later in Copenhagen, they failed to retain the title but still returned with a bronze medal.
