National men’s doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik began their campaign in the World Tour Finals in style when they defeated South Korean duo Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung Jae this afternoon at the Impact Arena in Bangkok.
Ranked as the tournament’s second Aaron and Wooi Yik needed just 38 minutes to win their opening match with a straight-set 21-14, 21-19 victory.
“We are very happy with the outcome from today’s match. We analysed well and managed to read the way the opponents played,” said Aaron.
Added Wooi Yik: “We would like to extend a big thank you to all Malaysians who have been supportive of us. We will give our very best to achieve the target set.”
However, another Malaysia’s men doubles Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yii could not produce the goods when the fourth-seeded pair fell to the top pair from Chinese Taipei, Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin.
Lee Yang-Chi Lin were just a tad better on the day when they pulled off a 21-18, 24-22 win.
However, the Malaysian contingent’s best performance on the opening day of the World Tour Finals went to mixed doubles Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie.
Soon Huat-Shevon came from behind before to beat the second-seeded pair from Germany, Mark Lamsfuss-Isabel Herttrich 14-21, 21-18, 21-18 following a battle that lasted 55 minutes.
Meanwhile in the women’s doubles, the all-Malaysians battle saw Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean sidestepping Vivian Hoo-Yang Cheng Wen.
Mei Kuan-Meng Yean had won the first set 21-16 but Vivian-Cheng Wen fought back to take the second set 21-10.
However, Mei Kuan and Meng Yean were not about to lose the plot when they came back to win the third set 21-15.
“We won because we were more consistent and we did not easily give away points. We also tried very hard to make sure that we keep the score close,” said Meng Yean.
“It was a long rally game which means that we had to be calm and patient to win points.”
In the meantime, national men’s singles Lee Zii Jia lost his opening tie in Group A to third seed Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei 16-21, 21-12, 11-21.
