TEE Kai Wun is banking on partner Aaron Chia’s recent success against South Korea’s Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae to make a difference when they face the formidable pair in the second round of the men’s doubles at the Asian Games today.
Kai Wun has yet to beat Won-ho-Seung-jae when partnering Man Wei Chong, losing all six of their meetings, including at the Malaysian Open quarter-finals in January.
Aaron, however, knows what it takes to get the better of the Koreans.
He and Soh Wooi Yik stunned Won-ho-Seung-jae in the World Championships semi-finals in New Delhi last month, denying the Koreans a chance to retain their title.
It was Aaron-Wooi Yik’s second victory over them in five meetings, having also beaten the pair in the Singapore Open final last year.
Kai Wun admitted that he and Aaron, who are playing together as a scratch pair at the Asian Games, were always likely to face seeded opponents early in the individual event.
But he stressed that they are ready for the challenge.
“As an unseeded pair, there is nothing much we can do because everything is determined by the rankings.
“All we can do is prepare well and go out there and fight,” said Kai Wun.
Aaron-Kai Wun eased through the first round yesterday after beating Tajikistan’s Odilzhon Abdurakhimov-Dzhumaboi Saidov 21-16, 21-16 at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Aichi.
Meanwhile, in the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah cruised past Indonesia’s Febi Setianingrum-Rachel Allesya 21-13, 21-11 to set up a second round clash against Thailand’s Hathaithip Mijad-Napapakorn Tungkasatan today.
Also chasing a place in the quarter-finals are Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, who will take on former world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi of Japan.
The two pairs are evenly matched, having won three of their six previous meetings.
Their last clash came 12 months ago in the first round of the French Open, with Sze Fei-Izzuddin winning that encounter.
The pros had earlier beaten Taiwan’s Wang Chi-lin-Chiu Hsiang-chieh 21-17, 21-14 in the first round yesterday.
