KUALA LUMPUR – Tough luck for national top men’s doubles players Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik as they crashed out of 2023 Malaysia Masters after losing 21-18, 21-19 to Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin at the Axiata Arena.
The world number two Malaysian duo were overpowered by their ninth seed opponents, losing the match in 51 minutes.
World champions Aaron-Wooi Yik were on the backfoot in the first set, unable to retake the lead since the 8-8 point mark.
The second set was a close affair, but it was unfortunate for Aaron-Wooi Yik as they could not catch up.
Carnado-Marthin will now face world number 26 pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Vun in the semifinals tomorrow after the Malaysians won against veterans Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan from Indonesia earlier today.
After the defeat, Wooi Yik admitted that perhaps he and Aaron were not sufficiently prepared to take on the Indonesians, despite having won five of the past six meetings.
“We were not patient enough today. It was very hard to get points.
“We really did try our best, but sometimes your opponents just play a better game,” he said.
Their last encounter came in Dubai last month at the Badminton Asia Championships where Aaron-Wooi Yik won in the opening round.
“We won the previous match, but it was a very close fight.
“Our game could always go either way. It all comes down to who is more calm,” he said.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will now skip the upcoming Thailand Open next week, and will instead begin preparing for the Singapore Open in June.
Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for eighth-seed men’s doubles pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi who lost to South Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae, 15-21, 21-16, 21-14, in an hour and 20 minutes.
In the semifinals tomorrow, the world number 16 South Koreans will take on Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi for a shot at the finals.
“We tried our best to get points and catch up, but we could not do it.
“About Ee Yi’s injury...maybe it was his ankle, but I am not so sure. I will need to check on him after this,” Yew Sin told Astro Arena in an interview after the match. – The Vibes, May 26, 2023