Debutants Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are on the threshold of ending a 12-year wait for Malaysia in the men’s doubles in the prestigious All England Championships after a sensational march into the final.
The unseeded young Malaysians have been a sensation in the prestigious tournament which carries hefty prize money of USD1 million. In Saturday’s last match of the night match at the Arena in Birmingham, the pair added another big win to their fine run in their first badminton major.
This time Aaron, 22, and Wooi Yik, 21 kept their cool to stage a remarkable come-from-behind 12-21, 20-22, 21-19 win over No 8 seeds Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto in a nail-biting 59-minute thriller.
Another Indonesian hurdle awaits Aaron-Wooi Yik in the final – sixth seeds Muhammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan -two-time world champions and winners of 2014 All England.
Malaysia’s last winners of the men’s doubles were Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong in 2007.
“There is still another tough hurdle to clear. We hope to win it for Malaysia,” said a jubilant Wooi Yik after the semi-final match.
“We are more confident in our game and ending the tournament with the title will be a perfect present for the people of Malaysia. It will also be good for our badminton career.”
Ahsan-Hendra upset third seeds Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda of Japan in straight games 21-9, 21-16 in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, the women’s singles final will see world No 1 and two-time defending champion Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei take on China’s Chen Yufei for the title.
The men’s singles final will be between current world No 1 and top seed Kento Momota and Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen. The Dane ousted defending champion Shi Yuqi of China 22-20, 13-21, 21-9 while Momota stopped Hong China’s Angus Ng Ka Long 21-19, 21-11. RIZAL ABDULLAHÂ
