Latest news with #Hoki-Kobayashi
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Getting tips from seniors to slay samurai shuttlers
KUALA LUMPUR: Their seniors have just done it, beat Japan's former world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi. And now, world No. 41 Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian hope to get a tip or two from Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik on how to overcome Hoki-Kobayashi in their Indonesia Open opener tomorrow. Haikal-Hon Jian lost to the samurais in the Malaysia Masters last 16 two weeks ago, and to get their revenge, they must do something, particularly in the all-important "first three shots" of each rally. Teammates Aaron-Wooi Yik might just be the perfect source of insight, having recently snapped an eight-match losing streak against Hoki-Kobayashi en route to clinching the Singapore Open title. Previously, Aaron-Wooi Yik had a dismal head-to-head record of just two victories in 11 encounters with Hoki-Kobayashi. Haikal revealed he had approached Aaron during a training session in Singapore last week, but they didn't get to go into detail. "I spoke to Aaron, but we didn't have time to discuss in depth. I'll definitely try to approach him again at the Indonesia Open," he said. Haikal said national coach Herry IP had pointed out the similarities between their playing style and Hoki-Kobayashi's. "Both pairs play with an attacking approach, we don't lift the shuttle much," said Haikal. "However, Hoki-Kobayashi are very sharp in executing the first three shots. That put us under pressure and forced us into defensive lifts. "We lacked speed and quality in those early exchanges, and that made us uncomfortable throughout the match." Haikal believes he and Hon Jian still need time to find their rhythm, having only recently returned from a long injury layoff. The Indonesia Open will be their fifth tournament since resuming action at the Taiwan Open. So far, they have managed just one win — against Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Kittinupong Kedren at the Malaysia Masters, and exiting in the first round of the others. "It's been a struggle to catch up since our comeback. We'll bide our time and gradually make progress," said Haikal. Haikal-Hon Jian, winners of two Super 300 titles, were once ranked as high as world No. 18, but their momentum was disrupted by injuries, first to Hon Jian late last year, followed by Haikal, which saw them only return to action in May. Meanwhile, world No. 33 Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien's campaign in the Indonesia Open mixed doubles ended in the first round following a 21-11, 21-16 defeat to Indonesia's Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu.
The Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Aaron-Soh game for Masters rematch with Man-Tee after slaying bogey pair
National men's doubles shuttlers Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in action against compatriots Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in the final match of Malaysian Masters at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil on Sunday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star PETALING JAYA: No matter the outcome of today's Singapore Open quarter-final, Malaysia is assured of at least one semi-final spot as top men's doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik prepare to face compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun. This encounter is a replay of last Sunday's Malaysian Masters final, which was won by Wei Chong-Kai Wun. However, for Aaron-Wooi Yik, reaching the quarter-finals represents more than just progression. They have conquered a long-standing mental hurdle by overcoming their main rivals, Japan's Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, in yesterday's second-round clash. Even sweeter was the chance to avenge the painful defeat they suffered at the Sudirman Cup group stage in Xiamen earlier this month. Malaysia finished second in their group and faced China in the knockout round, where they were eliminated. Reflecting on yesterday's match, Aaron-Wooi Yik admitted that the situation almost replayed the same script from Xiamen, despite being close to victory. Thankfully, they followed the advice of coach Herry Iman Pierngadi to stay patient, and their perseverance paid off with a 21-18, 24-26, 21-12 win. 'To be honest, it's a huge relief. I think all of us still remember the loss to them (Hoki-Kobayashi) at the Sudirman Cup, especially after we had such a big lead. Today, the second game felt similar, and it brought back those tough memories. 'But being able to beat them now really gives us a boost in confidence and belief in ourselves. You could see in the second game, once we got a little confused, they started picking up points quickly. It wasn't easy, but we managed to overcome it in the third game, and we're satisfied with the win,' said Wooi Yik in a post match with BWF. Despite riding high on morale and motivation, the Asian champions are keeping their feet firmly on the ground ahead of their all-Malaysian quarter-final clash against Wei Chong-Kai Wun. Wei Chong-Kai Wun echoed similar sentiments, saying that whichever pair plays better on the day deserves to move forward. For both sides, the main focus is ensuring Malaysia's continued progress in the tournament. 'This is our first time reaching the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open, and I have to admit the wind conditions here are quite strong. But we managed to handle it well, and that gave us a confidence boost,' said Wei Chong. The world No. 7 pair booked their spot in the last eight after defeating China's Huan Di and Liu Yang 21-16, 21-16 in the second round. Meanwhile, another Malaysian men's doubles pair in action today is world No. 1 duo Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, who secured their place in the quarter-finals after brushing aside compatriots Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi 21-13, 21-11. They will next face India's top pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Aaron-Wooi Yik tame Japanese bogeymen
K. M. Boopathy KUALA LUMPUR: Men's doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik showed their steely side as they slayed Japanese bogeymen Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi despite fatigue at the Singapore Open yesterday. The extraordinary effort saw world No. 3 Aaron-Wooi Yik avoid a ninth consecutive loss to world No. 17 Hoki-Kobayashi. Thus, their wild celebrations after the match was understandable, considering their losing streak to Hoki-Kobayashi, especially their loss at the Sudirman Cup earlier this year. Most importantly, Aaron-Wooi Yik's 21-18, 24-26, 21-12 win over the Japanese has ensured Malaysia a semi-final representative in Singapore. They will next meet compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the quarter-finals. Newly crowned Malaysia Masters champions Wei Chong-Kai Wun defeated China's world No. 24 Huang Di-Liu Yang 21-16, 21-16 yesterday, "It's quite a relief because everyone would remember the Sudirman Cup loss. Today's win is a boost to our confidence," said a physically drained Wooi Yik. Aaron said that national men's doubles head coach, Herry IP, helped to make them more relaxed and focused. "There was a flashback about our last match against them at the Sudirman Cup. We had the match point in the second game but couldn't convert, our coach gave us a lot of motivation to boost us," said Aaron. "Our coach told us to focus on the strategy, like what we did in the first game. He wanted us to be relaxed and also enjoy the game more. "Possibly, we broke it (the mental barrier) with more patience and also a bit of luck. "We have secured a place for Malaysia in the semi-finals and we will treat it like a training match." Although Aaron-Wooi Yik lost to Wei Chong-Kai Wun in the Malaysian Masters final last week, the former, who are the Olympic bronze medallists and Asian champions, look confident.
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Wei Chong-Kai Wun bring back magic of 2023 [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: Men's doubles Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun rediscovered the magic of 2023 to stun Japan's former world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi today for a place in the Malaysia Masters final again at the Axiata Arena. World No. 8 Wei Chong-Kai Wun were calm and calculated in producing a near flawless attacking game to crush world No. 20 Hoki-Kobayashi 21-12, 21-14 in just 31 minutes in the semi-finals. Known for their attacking prowess albeit inconsistent, Wei Chong-Kai Wun were simply devastating today with few errors as they killed off rallies with telling smashes. The quick win was a satisfying one for Wei Chong-Kai Wun as they had lost to Hoki-Kobayashi in all their two previous meetings, and in straight games too. "We didn't think about the two previous defeats to them because those were two years ago and our performance is current," said Kai Wun. He said they had to play at a fast pace or face the prospect of losing again. Despite their superb performance, Wei Chong said it was not their best performance against a top pair as they are capable of a more consistent high level. "This may not be our best win, but we are happy to be able to perform like this. It is just a match and it may not be the same again tomorrow, so we have to stay focused," said Wei Chong. "The fans have once again played a big role in inspiring us and both our families (from Melaka) are also here to motivate us. "The shuttle speed today was fast and we needed to adopt an attacking play. If not, the opponents would kill the rallies in just two or three shots."
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Wei Chong-Kai Wun bring back magic of 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Men's doubles Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun rediscovered the magic of 2023 to stun Japan's former world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi today for a place in the Malaysia Masters final again at the Axiata Arena. World No. 8 Wei Chong-Kai Wun were calm and calculated in producing a near flawless attacking game to crush world No. 20 Hoki-Kobayashi 21-12, 21-14 in just 31 minutes in the semi-finals. Known for their attacking prowess albeit inconsistent, Wei Chong-Kai Wun were simply devastating today with few errors as they killed off rallies with telling smashes. The quick win was a satisfying one for Wei Chong-Kai Wun as they had lost to Hoki-Kobayashi in all their two previous meetings, and in straight games too. "We didn't think about the two previous defeats to them because those were two years ago and our performance is current," said Kai Wun. He said they had to play at a fast pace or face the prospect of losing again. Despite their superb performance, Wei Chong said it was not their best performance against a top pair as they are capable of a more consistent high level. "This may not be our best win, but we are happy to be able to perform like this. It is just a match and it may not be the same again tomorrow, so we have to stay focused," said Wei Chong. "The fans have once again played a big role in inspiring us and both our families (from Melaka) are also here to motivate us. "The shuttle speed today was fast and we needed to adopt an attacking play. If not, the opponents would kill the rallies in just two or three shots."
