KUALA LUMPUR — The intense competition at the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou next month is expected to help sharpen Malaysia’s top men’s pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, as they prepare for the 2025 season.
However, national men’s doubles head coach Tan Bin Shen is less concerned about the world number five duo.
Instead, his primary focus is on ensuring the national backup shuttlers reassess and reset their performances in the coming month.
The national men’s doubles players, including Aaron and Wooi Yik, have experienced a noticeable dip in form, particularly after the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympics in August.
For instance, world number 14 pair Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun have failed to reach a semi-final since their runner-up finish at the Indonesia Open in June.
Similarly, world number 19 pair Choong Hon Jian and Haikal Nazri have struggled, failing to progress beyond the second round in any competition since their semi-final appearance at the Australian Open in June.
Meanwhile, world number 22 pair Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Yap Roy King have yet to regain their form after reaching the Malaysia Masters semi-finals in May.
“Overall, we can see that heading into the end of the year, the pairs have all dipped in form,” said Bin Shen.
“I have discussed this with them, and we need to review and reset their performances for next year.
“For some pairs, like Hon Jian and Haikal, they lost momentum and confidence after returning from injuries. We’ve observed similar issues with Arif and Roy King, although they seem to be improving gradually.
“Wei Chong and Kai Wun are injury-free, but they lack consistency and focus during tournaments. These are areas we need to address because you cannot afford to be hesitant when facing top-ranked pairs.
“The backup players must improve, both in their gameplay and mentality, over the next month.”
Bin Shen also noted that Aaron and Wooi Yik’s last-minute qualification for the World Tour Finals was a timely boost.
“I see their qualification as a blessing in disguise. They were pushing to qualify, and they made it.
“The World Tour Finals feature the top pairs in the world, so it’s a great opportunity for Aaron and Wooi Yik to face high-level opponents before the new season begins.
“While Aaron and Wooi Yik have two weeks of preparation here, the rest of the squad will have a month. I believe that’s sufficient time to recalibrate,” he added.
The World Tour Finals is scheduled to take place from December 11-15.
The other Malaysian men’s doubles pair to qualify for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) flagship event are world number seven independent shuttlers Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani. — November 27, 2024