KUALA LUMPUR – Despite Malaysia being the fourth seed of the Asia Mixed Team Championships in Dubai starting Tuesday, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik do not think their team should take their position lightly in the biennial event.
The men’s doubles world champions said adequate preparation is a must for the team in order to face any possibilities for the sake of the country.
“We cannot be relaxed about it because we are representing the country. We need to focus and give our all, no matter what tournament we are in.
“We must be sure that we are well prepared and build our confidence to face the challenges at BAMTC,” said Wooi Yik when met recently.
Malaysia has been drawn into Group B alongside India, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates.
They are aiming to finish top of the group so they could have a comfortable progress into the semifinals of the tournament, which also serves as the qualifier for the Sudirman Cup in May.
“We admit that India is a strong team, they are the Thomas Cup winner last year. So, we will monitor their game closely,” added Wooi YIik.
Meanwhile, Aaron is optimistic about the team’s chances of claiming the maiden title of the championships.
“On paper, it looks like we have a big chance (to claim the title).
“The last mixed team event we won was at the (Birmingham) Commonwealth Games, which was a boost for us.
“I hope we could keep the momentum going from that win,” said Aaron.
Other than the world no. 2 pair, women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, and men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia have also been included in the line-up. – The Vibes, February 12, 2023
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