KOTA KINABALU: The country’s top men’s doubles pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, continue their quest for their first title at the All England Badminton Championship in Birmingham after advancing to the semi-finals.
In the quarter-final match held at the Utilita Arena earlier, the former world champions secured a victory in three sets, winning 21-16, 20-22, and 21-14 against their teammates, Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun, in a match that lasted 61 minutes.
Entering the match as the second seeds, Aaron-Wooi Yik started strongly, dominating much of the first set and putting Wei Chong-Kai Wun under pressure.
Despite facing fierce competition, the world No. 2 duo maintained their focus and clinched the first set 21-16, providing them with a boost for the second set.
Aaron-Wooi Yik kept their momentum going, leading the second set with a significant margin of 16-11, but their concentration wavered towards the end of the game, resulting in a 20-22 loss, forcing them into a deciding set.
As they entered the third set, the former Asian champions regained their focus and showcased their true potential, defeating Wei Chong-Kai Wun comfortably with a score of 21-14.
Looking ahead to the semi-finals tomorrow, they will face the Chinese pair, Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi, who defeated the Indonesian duo, Muhammad Rian Ardianto-Rahmat Hidayat, with scores of 21-16 and 21-10.
