Aaron-Wooi Yik stunned by compatriots at Japan Open
World No. 30 Yew Sin-Ee Yi outclassed compatriots and world No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik with a commanding 21-15, 21-15 victory at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Heading into the match, Yew Sin-Ee Yi had only beaten the former world champions twice in eight previous encounters.
Aaron-Wooi Yik entered the Super 750 tournament in red-hot form, having won the Badminton Asia Championships, Thailand Open and Singapore this year. They were also runners-up at last month's Malaysia Masters.
Tipped by many to go deep in Tokyo, the second seeds were instead stunned by a clinical and tactically astute performance from Yew Sin-Ee Yi, who looked composed and unbothered by the lopsided head-to-head record.
With the win, Yew Sin-Ee Yi will next face either Japan's Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura or the United States' Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith in the second round.
Meanwhile, world No. 7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun survived a marathon opening game before beating compatriots Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King 30-28, 21-12 in 42 minutes.
The Malaysia Masters champions will face China's Huang Di and Liu Yang in the next round.
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