Malaysia’s long-standing wait for a home champion at the Malaysian Open continues after Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik narrowly missed out on the men’s doubles title at the Axiata Arena.
The national pair were edged out by world No. 1 duo Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae of South Korea in a gripping three-game final, going down 15-21, 21-12, 18-21 in a contest that lasted over an hour.
Despite the disappointment, Aaron and Wooi Yik took plenty of positives from the performance, believing the gap between themselves and the world’s top pair is minimal. Their resilience was evident, especially in the deciding game, where they mounted a strong comeback after falling behind by a wide margin before ultimately conceding in a tense finish.
Aaron credited the passionate home crowd for giving them the extra push to fight back. He noted that playing in front of Malaysian fans boosted their confidence and belief, particularly during difficult moments in the match. Reflecting on their previous encounter with the Korean pair at last year’s Singapore Open, Aaron felt the difference came down to composure during key points rather than overall quality.
The defeat also means the wait for a Super 1000 title continues for Aaron-Wooi Yik, with their last triumph at this level dating back to the prestigious All England Championships in 2019. Since then, they have endured several near misses, including finals and deep runs at the Thailand Open, Indonesia Open, China Open, and the All England in recent years.
However, the pair remain upbeat about their progress. Wooi Yik described the loss as a learning opportunity and stressed that the team still has clear goals to push further. He expressed confidence that continued consistency and hard work will eventually translate into success on the biggest stages, not just for themselves but for Malaysian badminton as a whole.
Malaysia last celebrated a Malaysian Open champion in 2018, when Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei claimed the men’s singles title. Since then, local representation in the finals has been rare until Aaron and Wooi Yik finally ended that drought this year. In men’s doubles, the last Malaysian winners were Goh V Shem and Lim Khim Wah back in 2014.
Next on the agenda for Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik is the Indian Open in New Delhi, where they are set to take on another South Korean pairing, Kim Gi-jung and Kim Sa-rang, as they continue their pursuit of a major breakthrough.
