KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s doubles champions, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, see the intense situation they encountered before securing victory in the first round of the Malaysia Masters today as an opportunity to toughen their mental resilience.
Though top seeded and expected to breeze through their match against Korean pair Kim Young Hyuk and Wang Chan, Aaron-Wooi Yik faced a formidable challenge, eventually winning with a scoreline of 21-18, 22-20 after a gruelling 39-minute battle.
Despite the near-upset, Aaron and Wooi Yik see the match as a positive experience, particularly in their adept handling of crucial moments.
“I feel that situations like this (crucial points) are difficult to avoid because throughout our careers as players, we have often faced such scenarios. When it happens, it will continue to recur, but it depends on how we handle it.
“For today’s match, I feel we managed it well. In the second set, when we were leading, there were times when we lost points, but then we bounced back. So, for me, that’s one of the positive things we showed,” said Wooi Yik.
In tomorrow’s second round, the Malaysian duo is slated to face the world number 25 pair from China, Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi.
Another Malaysian men’s doubles pair set for action in the second round is Wan Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King, who will take on fourth-seeded duo Lee Jhe Hui-Yang Po Hsuan.
Meanwhile, the all-local clash between Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun already promises one spot in the quarter-finals for Malaysia. – May 22, 2024
