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New Straits Times
6 days ago
- General
- New Straits Times
Aaron-Wooi Yik fall at first hurdle as fatigue finally kicks in
KUALA LUMPUR: A grueling four-week campaign finally caught up with world No. 3 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik as they crashed out in the first round of the Indonesia Open on Wednesday. The two-time Olympic bronze medallists, visibly fatigued after logging 15 matches across three consecutive tournaments, fell 21-13, 19-21, 21-18 to Denmark's world No. 16 Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta. Aaron-Wooi Yik had shown commendable grit to force a deciding rubber after trailing for most of the second game, eventually drawing level at 14-all before edging it. They even held an 11-8 lead in the third but could not sustain their momentum as the Danes clawed back to snatch victory. "There were a few unforced errors that led to our loss today. We had a three-point lead after the interval, but they caught up - that was a crucial turning point," said Aaron. "We've given our best, maybe luck just wasn't on our side today." The defeat marked their second to Kjaer-Sogaard in five meetings - the first coming at the All England in March, which incidentally was their last opening-round exit prior to this. Wooi Yik acknowledged that fatigue was a factor but credited their opponents for being the better pair on the day. "To be honest, it's not very good physically, but we still tried using our mental strength," he said. "We didn't give up or anything, we just gave it our best shot for every point. But we can't deny that today they played better than us. Physically, they were fresher." The early exit brought an end to Aaron-Wooi Yik's impressive run of four straight finals, which saw them clinch the Asia Championships, Thailand Open and Singapore Open titles. The only tournament they didn't win was the Malaysia Masters, where they were runners-up. "There's still room for improvement," added Aaron. "Now it's time for us to get a good rest, go back to training, and prepare for the next tournament." Aaron-Wooi Yik are expected to return to action at the Japan Open and China Open in mid-July after a well-deserved break.
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Tired Aaron-Wooi Yik know how to survive [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: Men's pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik seemed to have learnt to fight fatigue as they produced another extraordinary effort today to reach the Malaysia Masters final. World No. 3 Aaron-Wooi Yik's win over Denmark's world No. 1 Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen has assured the hosts of the Malaysia Masters title after 12 years. Aaron-Wooi Yik are also a match away from completing their first career hat-trick after winning the Asia Championships last month and Thailand Open last week. Compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun had outplayed Japan's world No. 20 Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi 21-12, 21-14 in the other semi-final. Despite physical and mental exhaustion, Aaron-Wooi Yik outwitted Astrup-Rasmussen 21-19, 17-21, 21-15 in 64 minutes. This will be the fourth time the Super 500 tournament features an all-Malaysia final. Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah secured the nation's last title in 2013, beating compatriots Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong. It will also be the first time Aaron-Wooi Yik reached a final at home while Wei Chong-Kai Wun will feature in their second after the 2023 Malaysia Masters. However, Wooi Yik wasn't thinking about the records and was relieved to have survived a difficult clash against Astrup-Rasmussen. "It's very difficult in back-to-back tournaments, but we tried to overcome it as this is something new for us," said Wooi Yik. "We didn't want to think at the start that we cannot play. We have to figure out what we can do in every match." Aaron, who is looking forward to giving the fans a great show, said: "We just hope to play a really good game for everyone who comes here to support us. Winning or losing in secondary," said Aaron. "I think we have to treat the match against Wei Chong-Kai Wun (their head-to-head record is 2-2) tomorrow like training. Of course, we also want to win but the most important thing is that the title has been confirmed for Malaysia. "There will be some kind of tiredness playing back-to-back tournaments, so it doesn't really matter for us." Results: Semi-finals (Malaysians unless stated) Men's singles: K. Srikanth (Ind) bt Yushi Tanaka (Jpn) 21-18, 24-22; Li Shi Feng (Chn) bt Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) 21-15, 21-15. Doubles: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) 21-12, 21-14; Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) 21-19, 17-21, 21-15. Women's singles: Han Yue (Chn) bt Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) 21-19, 21-16; Wang Zhi Yi (Chn) bt Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) 21-17, 21-16. Doubles: Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Apriyani Rahayu-Febi Setianingrum (Ina) 12-21, 21-7, 21-9; Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian (Chn) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 21-16, 15-21, 21-14. Mixed doubles: Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping (Chn) bt Ye Hong Wei-Nicole Gonzalez Chan (Tpe) 21-10, 21-7; Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin (Chn) bt Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) 15-21, 22-20, 21-19
The Star
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Ideal chance for Aidil to show he can break into world's elite
Tough challenge: Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin will play China's Lu Guangzu in the second round of the Thailand Open today. PETALING JAYA: After long harbouring hopes of joining the world's elite, independent men's singles shuttler Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin now has a golden chance to test himself when he goes up against Asia Championships runner-up Lu Guangzu today. The 24-year-old will take on the world No. 14 in the second round of the Thailand Open at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok and this will be their first-ever meeting on the international stage. Last week at the Taiwan Open, Aidil had the chance to test himself against world No. 9 Chou Tien-chen, but experience proved the difference as the Malaysian went down 14-21, 16-21 in just 37 minutes. Last week at the Taiwan Open, Aidil had the opportunity to take on world No. 9 Chou Tien-chen, but found the seasoned campaigner too hot to handle and lost 14-21, 16-21 in just 37 minutes. Tien-chen went on to finish as the runner-up in the tournament. Today's clash against Guangzu offers Aidil a shot at redemption and it will be a true test of his credentials as he aims to break into the world's top 32 by the end of the year. Chinese players were once viewed as unbeatable, but that perception no longer intimidates Aidil. He has already claimed a few scalps this year, including Zhang Ning and Wang Zijun at the China Masters in March, though those opponents were ranked much lower than Guangzu. Yesterday, Aidil got his campaign off to a strong start by battling past world No. 32 Wang Zhengxing 21-12, 19-21, 21-18 in the opening round. A victory over Guangzu today would be a significant confidence boost and a statement of intent from the Selangor-born shuttler. 'I won today because I dared to go for my shots, and it paid off. 'As for Lu Guangzu, I know he's the stronger player, but I'm not going to overthink it. I'm just going to go all out and give everything I've got,' said Aidil when contacted. Aidil has spent most of his career competing in lower-tier tournaments such as the International Challenge and International Series, and occasionally in Super 100 events. He has made the most of those opportunities and has already picked up one title this year at the Sri Lanka International in early March. It was his first title since winning the Indonesia International two years ago. In 2022, when he made his debut in a Super 500 event at the Korea Open, his campaign ended in the qualifying round.
New Straits Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Indonesia's Sudirman Cup campaign looks shaky
KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia's Sudirman Cup campaign was dealt a big blow after men's doubles player Leo Rolly Carnando and women's singles Gregoria Mariska Tunjung dropped out due to injury and illness respectively. Leo Rolly, who finished runners-up at the recent All England with Bagas Maulana, suffered a ligament tear (left knee) during the Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, two weeks ago. World No. 5 Gregoria, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, was diagnosed with vertigo, and has been replaced by world No. 34 Esther Nurumi. Indonesia BA performansi and development head Eng Hian said there will be no replacement for Leo Rolly as they still have the services of world No. 5 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto and world No. 10 Shohibl Fikri-Daniel Marthin. Second seeds Indonesia, winners of the inaugural Sudirman Cup in 1989 and last reached the final in 2007, were already affected earlier by the absence of 2020 Tokyo Olympics men's singles bronze medallist Anthony Ginting who was ruled out for three months by a right shoulder injury. They will be banking on a struggling world No. 6 Jonatan Christie and youngsters Alwi Farhan (No. 33) and Zaki Ubaidillah (No. 77).
Malaysia Sun
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Malaysia Sun
Talk Sport exclusive: Malaysian badminton stars share Olympic success
In the latest episode of our Talk Sports series, Sports Scene sat down with Malaysia's dynamic badminton doubles pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who made history at the Olympics for their home country. Zhu Mandan conducted the exclusive interview where the pair discusses their experiences following the Paris Olympics, their evolving partnership, and their friendships with Chinese players in the sport. Chia and Soh expressed their excitement about working with a new coach, believing that this change has better suited their playing style, particularly after their recent victory at the Asia Championships in Ningbo. With their sights set on the Los Angeles Olympics, they are determined to build on their success and continue improving. Chia noted the pressure that comes with competing in front of home fans, particularly for the Chinese duo Liang and Wang, highlighting how this dynamic can impact performance. Soh added that their consistency during the matches in Ningbo was a significant improvement compared to their previous competitions, a factor that they hope will carry over into future tournaments. The Malaysian pair also emphasized their strong friendships with fellow players, stating that away from the competition, they all shared a camaraderie that enhances the overall badminton atmosphere. They commended China's vibrant badminton culture, recognizing its role in fostering competitive spirit and excellence in the sport. As they prepare for upcoming challenges, including the Sudirman Cup, Chia and Soh express their hope to perform well in team events, aiming to make their mark on the international stage. Source: CGTN
