Tired Aaron-Wooi Yik know how to survive [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: Men's pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik seemed to have learnt to fight fatigue as they produced another extraordinary effort today to reach the Malaysia Masters final.
World No. 3 Aaron-Wooi Yik's win over Denmark's world No. 1 Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen has assured the hosts of the Malaysia Masters title after 12 years.
Aaron-Wooi Yik are also a match away from completing their first career hat-trick after winning the Asia Championships last month and Thailand Open last week.
Compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun had outplayed Japan's world No. 20 Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi 21-12, 21-14 in the other semi-final.
Despite physical and mental exhaustion, Aaron-Wooi Yik outwitted Astrup-Rasmussen 21-19, 17-21, 21-15 in 64 minutes.
This will be the fourth time the Super 500 tournament features an all-Malaysia final. Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah secured the nation's last title in 2013, beating compatriots Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.
It will also be the first time Aaron-Wooi Yik reached a final at home while Wei Chong-Kai Wun will feature in their second after the 2023 Malaysia Masters.
However, Wooi Yik wasn't thinking about the records and was relieved to have survived a difficult clash against Astrup-Rasmussen.
"It's very difficult in back-to-back tournaments, but we tried to overcome it as this is something new for us," said Wooi Yik.
"We didn't want to think at the start that we cannot play. We have to figure out what we can do in every match."
Aaron, who is looking forward to giving the fans a great show, said: "We just hope to play a really good game for everyone who comes here to support us. Winning or losing in secondary," said Aaron.
"I think we have to treat the match against Wei Chong-Kai Wun (their head-to-head record is 2-2) tomorrow like training. Of course, we also want to win but the most important thing is that the title has been confirmed for Malaysia.
"There will be some kind of tiredness playing back-to-back tournaments, so it doesn't really matter for us."
Results:
Semi-finals (Malaysians unless stated)
Men's singles: K. Srikanth (Ind) bt Yushi Tanaka (Jpn) 21-18, 24-22; Li Shi Feng (Chn) bt Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) 21-15, 21-15.
Doubles: Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun bt Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) 21-12, 21-14; Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) 21-19, 17-21, 21-15.
Women's singles: Han Yue (Chn) bt Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) 21-19, 21-16; Wang Zhi Yi (Chn) bt Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) 21-17, 21-16.
Doubles: Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Apriyani Rahayu-Febi Setianingrum (Ina) 12-21, 21-7, 21-9; Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian (Chn) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 21-16, 15-21, 21-14.
Mixed doubles: Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping (Chn) bt Ye Hong Wei-Nicole Gonzalez Chan (Tpe) 21-10, 21-7; Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin (Chn) bt Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) 15-21, 22-20, 21-19
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Wei Chong-Kai Wun overcoming hurdles in pursuit of Olympic dream
KUALA LUMPUR: They may not be as decorated as compatriots Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, but Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun have their sights set firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. World No. 7 Wei Chong-Kai Wun know they must outshine their more illustrious teammates to make the cut, with only two pairs per country allowed at the Olympics — provided both are ranked in the top 16. After winning the Indonesia Open and Malaysia Masters this year, the pair believe their Olympic dream is within reach but consistency remains their biggest hurdle. "Everyone wants to be an Olympian, and we're no different," said Kai Wun. "It's still a long way to go, and anything can happen. But we're prepared to fight all the way." Competition is fierce among Malaysian men's pairs, with world No. 24 Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King also gunning for a ticket to LA28. "The rivalry is tight, and we know we must remain consistent," said Kai Wun. Under the guidance of men's doubles chief Herry IP, Wei Chong-Kai Wun have started to show real progress, clinching their first-ever Super 500 titles. Their victory at the Malaysia Masters last month was particularly sweet as they defeated Sze Fei-Izzuddin in the quarter-finals and Aaron-Wooi Yik in the final. They also cleared psychological hurdles by finally getting the better of two long-time nemeses — Japan's Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (world No. 17) in the Malaysia Masters semis and India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty (India, No. 16) in the Indonesia Open quarters. "Our first wins over both pairs prove we have the ability," said Kai Wun. "We just lack consistency." The duo are now focused on the Japan Open (July 15-20) and China Open (July 22-27). "We've never won a Super 750 or Super 1000 title," added Kai Wun. "That's what we'll be aiming for next." They reached the quarter-finals in both tournaments last year and will hope to go even further this time.
Sinar Daily
13 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Ratchanok's recipe for smashing success: Less sugar, more oomph!
The 30-year-old revealed that she has had to cut back on sugary drinks as part of her efforts to stay fit and competitive on the international stage. 21 Jun 2025 05:00pm The 30-year-old revealed that she has had to cut back on sugary drinks as part of her efforts to stay fit and competitive on the international stage. - Bernama file photo KUALA LUMPUR - Thai badminton sensation Ratchanok Intanon's goal of staying at the top of her game at this stage of her career is no longer just about intense training but also about sacrifices, like giving up her favourite beverage - the Thai milk tea. The 30-year-old revealed that she has had to cut back on sugary drinks as part of her efforts to stay fit and competitive on the international stage. The 30-year-old revealed that she has had to cut back on sugary drinks as part of her efforts to stay fit and competitive on the international stage. - Bernama file photo "I usually drink it with a normal amount of sugar but now I ask for less. I don't drink it every day but, if I do, it's maybe just half a cup. "I also had an injury about two or three months ago and I had to make a comeback. Sometimes, you want to win, and you do win, but your condition still isn't really good,' she told reporters after her Malaysia Masters women's singles quarter-final match at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil recently. The women's singles champion in the 2018 and 2019 editions of the Malaysia Masters defeated Michelle Li of Canada 24-26, 24-22, 21-12 in a gruelling 77-minute quarter-final clash and will face either top seed Wang Zhi Yi of China or Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy Linh in the semi-finals. "She (Michelle) played quite well and was strong mentally at the start. I tried to get a big lead but she was calmer than me and that put extra pressure on me,' said Ratchanok, who doesn't like to focus too much on past results or head-to-head records. She said her main priority is to always concentrate fully on her own game and ensure she gives her best on the court, regardless of the opponent. Asked about her preparations for the highly anticipated semi-final showdown, Ratchanok kept it simple. "My preparation starts today by eating well and sleeping well. That's very important. If I meet the Chinese player, I know she's strong and likes to play long rallies, so I need to be really fit,' she said. - BERNAMA More Like This
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
New ‘home' for pros
Breakthrough: Currently, the independent shuttlers Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (second from left) and Goh Sze Fei (right) as well as Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (below) train at the Endah Parade mall in Seri Petaling. PETALING JAYA: Professional doubles pairs Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are set to get a new 'home' for training under the Road to Gold (RTG) programme. Plans are underway to provide them with a more conducive training venue, which will help them in preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who also chairs the RTG committee, acknowledged that most professional players currently have to secure their own training spaces. Currently, for these four shuttlers, their training sessions are held at the Endah Parade mall in Sri Petaling under coach Teo Kok Siang. To improve their training conditions, the RTG committee are looking to streamline and upgrade access to existing infrastructure to help raise their performance levels. RTG coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam has been made aware of the issue and is working to identify a more suitable location for the pairs. Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie training at the Pioneer Badminton Centre in Endah Parade ahead of the All-England —Low Boon Tat / The Star For the record, all four players signed their contracts with the Road to Gold (RTG) programme on Wednesday, joining 12 existing athletes already in the initiative. 'This matter (initial assistance) has been addressed by Datuk Stuart, but from past experience with pro athletes under RTG, we know they require services from the National Sports Institute. 'I also hope we can help find them a proper and more private training venue so they no longer need to train in a shopping mall,' said Hannah. The RTG committee are also looking into additional forms of support that can be extended to the players, including the inclusion of training partners. At the same time, Hannah called on the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to resolve the long-standing contract issue involving national No. 1 women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, which has dragged on for more than six months. 'I'm not sure about the current status. Some reports say there's no decision yet, while others say Pearly-Thinaah are waiting for a response from BAM. So I hope BAM can find a solution quickly so it doesn't disrupt the athletes' preparations,' she added.
