KUALA LUMPUR: Top national men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik got their 2024 China Masters campaign off to a winning start with a 21-12, 21-18 victory over Indonesia’s Muhammad Shohibul Fikri-Daniel Marthin in Shenzhen today.
The opening-round win at the Shenzhen Gymnasium has breathed fresh life into the world number five pair’s efforts to qualify for next month’s Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China.
The Malaysian pair, also the fifth seeds, will next face compatriots Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong, who advanced after eliminating Thailand’s Peeratchai Sukphun-Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 21-19, 21-15 in the first round.
Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair of Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei also moved into the next round after taking nearly an hour to subdue Taiwan’s Ye Hong Wei-Nicole Gonzales Chan 21-23, 21-9, 21-12.
In the round of 16, Tang Jie-Ee Wei will face either French pair Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue or China’s Zhou Zhi Hong-Bao Li Jing.
There was no such luck for national woman professional shuttler Goh Jin Wei as the world number 40 was sent packing in the first round by Canada’s world number 23 Michelle Li, who won 21-18, 21-16.
Meanwhile national professional men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani also advanced to the second round of the China Masters after beating Japanese pair Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura 21-23,21-14,21-13.
They will meet Taiwanese duo Chiu Hsiang Chieh-Wang Chi-Lin who beat their teammates Lee Fang Chih-Lee Fang Jen 21-16, 21-17.
Another national men’s doubles pair, Wan Muhammad Arif Shaharuddin Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King also qualifed for the second round by beating Chinese pair Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi 21-17, 18-21, 21-16.
They will meet third seeds, Hei Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu of China, who defeated Malaysian pair Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri 21-12, 21-15.
