MALAYSIAN badminton pairs faced stern tests during their opening matches at the China Masters 2025 in Shenzhen today.
Former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik battled through a tough three-set encounter against Taiwan’s Liu Kuang Heng and Yang Po Han.
The Malaysian duo secured their second-round spot with a hard-fought 21-19, 21-23, 21-19 victory that lasted just under one hour.
Aaron-Wooi Yik will next face English pair Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, whom they have beaten in five of their eight previous meetings.
Fifth seeds Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun also advanced after overcoming France’s Popov brothers Christo and Toma Junior 21-11, 25-27, 21-15.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun will meet Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana in their next match.
Women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah staged a remarkable comeback after dropping the first game against Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Trias Puspitasari.
The Malaysian pair prevailed 20-22, 21-16, 22-20 in a gruelling encounter that lasted one hour and 13 minutes.
Pearly-Thinaah will now face American duo Francesca Corbett and Jennie Gai in the second round.
Unseeded Malaysian pair Ong Xin Yi and Carmen Ting joined their compatriots in the next round with a comfortable 21-8, 21-13 victory over India’s Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda.
Xin Yi-Carmen will face sixth seeds Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee from South Korea in their next match.
Unfortunately, national duo Go Pei Kee and Teoh Mei Xing fell just short against eighth-seeded Chinese pair Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min, losing 19-21, 21-12, 19-21. – Bernama
