KUALA LUMPUR — Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik have made history as the first Malaysian men’s doubles pair to claim the Korean Open title.
However, despite their remarkable comeback victory in Seoul, the ultimate prize — a spot at the World Tour Finals — is still within reach but far from guaranteed.
The two-time Olympic bronze medallists secured the Super 300 title with a stunning 21-23, 21-19, 21-14 win over South Korea’s Jin-yong and Kim Won-ho.
The victory marks a significant achievement for the duo, who have fought their way back to top form after a period of recovery and adjustment following the 2024 Paris Olympics.
But while the Korean Open victory is a historic milestone, Aaron and Wooi Yik face an even greater challenge: qualifying for the season-ending World Tour Finals, set for December 11-15 in Hangzhou, China.
With two tournaments left — the Kumamoto Masters and the China Masters — they need to climb two spots in the Race to Finals standings, where only the top eight pairs secure a spot in Hangzhou.
Following their win in Korea, the world number six pair are projected to rise to 10th in the standings, but they will need to accumulate at least 75,000 points to guarantee their spot in the finals.
Currently sitting at 56,090 points, the Malaysians are expected to reach 63,090 after this week’s win, but they still trail several other pairs, including Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, and Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun.
National men’s doubles head coach Tan Bin Shen is pleased to see the pair returning to their best form but remains cautious about their chances of qualifying.
“I’m very pleased that Aaron and Wooi Yik have rediscovered their tournament rhythm and peak performance here at the Korea Open. There’s always room for improvement, and we’ll keep working on it together,” Bin Shen told Scoop.
“Everyone wants to qualify for the World Tour Finals, but for me, it’s still a 50-50 chance for Aaron and Wooi Yik. They’ll need at least 75,000 points to secure a ticket to Hangzhou.”
To be on the safe side, Bin Shen suggests that Aaron and Wooi Yik need to make at least two semi-final finishes in the remaining tournaments.
“Realistically, they’ll need at least 12,000 more points, which means reaching the semi-finals or better (in both Kumamoto and China Masters),” he said.
Despite their current position, Aaron and Wooi Yik are determined to push for a spot at the World Tour Finals.
Their impressive run of form, particularly after a break to recover from injuries, shows they still have plenty to fight for. — November 10, 2024