Aaron-Wooi Yik must be more versatile: badminton legends

KUALA LUMPUR – What does it mean to win a title at the BWF World Championships?

True badminton fans know that it is one of the most prestigious events in badminton, with the winners to make the most ranking points and be credited as world champions of the sport.

The 2022 edition’s men’s doubles winners, Malaysia’s Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, have made their mark in the history books, being the first Malaysians ever to claim the title.

As the saying goes, uneasy is the head that wears the crown. 

Since the success, the world No. 2 pair have been carrying extra weight on their shoulders – high expectations from the badminton fraternity to keep producing only the best results. 

However, that has not been the case.

Speaking to The Vibes, men’s double badminton legend Datuk Razif Sidek said they should now be more selective of their tournaments to optimise their physical fitness.

Having more tournaments does not necessarily translate into productivity, he said.

“Back-to-back tournaments will not give them enough time to recover or rectify certain strategies. At least two back-to-back tournaments should suffice.

“They should also maintain their physical fitness. They usually lose out on endurance by the third set,” said the former world No. 1 shuttler.

Additionally, Razif also said that being among the top-ranking players also means that they now face tougher and better opponents.

As such, he advised Aaron-Wooi Yik to bring more versatility to their gameplay.

To do so, he said the duo would need to “carefully study their opponents, because when you play against different types of opponents, you also have to use different strategies”. 

“You cannot just rely on past games. Look instead at the opponents’ current form.”

Since the world championships held in Tokyo in August, Aaron-Wooi Yik have never won another title. 

They were close to claiming the India Open title, but were denied by China’s Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in the final round.

At the recent Super 1000 All England Championships, they suffered a shocking first-round exit against world No. 11 Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin of Indonesia.

Razif said the pair would need to improve their form, and work on optimising their physical fitness and polishing their skills.

“I am not sure how this (poor performance) will affect their ranking. But if they keep on losing in the opening rounds, they will feel demoralised, and it will affect their training,” he added.

Fellow legendary men’s doubles shuttler Tan Boon Heong said that in maintaining self-confidence when facing an opponent, one cannot only be familiar with their style, but must equally also focus on one’s own approach to the game.

“Usually, we look at the mistakes we made when we lose a game.

“However, Aaron-Wooi Yik and the coaching team will also need to look at how they win a game.

“That way, they will see which strategy is effective and which is not. Moving forward, that is how they can improve,” said the former world No. 1 shuttler.

Boon Heong is part of Akademi Badminton Malaysia’s 14-member technical advisory panel that was set up in February.

Other former national players who have accepted the invitation to be part of the panel are Razif’s former partner and brother Datu Seri Jalani Sidek, Boon Heong’s former partner Koo Kien Keat, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Datuk Cheah Soon Kit, and men’s singles shuttler Roslin Hashim.

Former world No. 2 men’s singles shuttler Ong Ewe Hock also agreed to join the panel. – The Vibes, March 27, 2023