KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia flexed their doubles firepower with eight pairs storming into the last 16 of the World Championships in Paris on Wednesday.
Among the headline acts were former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, who marched through alongside world No. 3 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the men’s doubles, while world No. 4 Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei kept the flag flying in the mixed.
They joined world No. 2 Pearly Tan-M Thinaah (women’s doubles), Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin (mixed doubles), Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King (men’s doubles) in what has become one of Malaysia’s strongest-ever collective showings on the world stage.
World No 2 Aaron-Wooi Yik barely broke sweat, easing past little-known Scottish brothers Christopher and Matthew Grimley 21-15, 21-17 after enjoying a first-round bye.
They now face an all-Malaysian last 16 showdown with world No 22 Wan Arif-Roy King for a place in the quarter-finals.
World No 3 Sze Fei-Izzuddin had a trickier outing against Americans Chen Zhi Yi-Presley Smith, ranked 30th.
The Malaysians dropped the opening game before regrouping to clinch a 19-21, 21-10, 21-17 victory in 51 minutes – their third straight win over the US pair.
Next up for them is Taiwan’s world No 18 Lee Jhe Huei-Yang Po Hsuan.
In the mixed doubles, world No 4 Tang Jie-Ee Wei brushed aside India’s Rohan Kapoor-Ruthvika Shivani Gadde 21-16, 21-11 in just 30 minutes.
They now meet rising Indonesia’s Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu, seeded 11th, whom they have already beaten twice.
Another all-Malaysian clash on the cards is in the mixed doubles, with Pang Ron-Su Yin taking on Soon Huat-Shevon Lai on Thursday.
While the doubles camp is buzzing, Malaysia’s challenge in both the men’s and women’s singles has already ended, with all representatives bowing out before the last 16.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
