Aaron-Wooi Yik the only Malaysians in Asian Games badminton semi-finals

HANGZHOU - Men’s doubles 2022 world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are the only Malaysians who qualified for the Hangzhou Asian Games badminton semi-finals tomorrow.

The world number five slogged for 81 minutes before beating Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi of China 21-18, 19-21, 21-18 in the quarter-finals at Binjiang Gymnasium here tonight.

In the semi-finals, Aaron-Wooi Yik, the 2020 Tokyo bronze medallists, will meet India’s world number three Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, who thrashed Singapore’s Nge Joo Jie-Johann Prajogo 21-7, 21-9 in another quarter-final match.

"We are quite happy with our focus on court although in the second game we led 19-17 but lost. In the rubber game, our play and momentum were good. For tomorrow, we will discuss the game play with our coaches and prepare for it,” Aaron said.

Wooi Yik said today’s victory assured the country of at least a bronze and this would ease the pressure on them.

At the last edition in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, the national badminton squad returned empty-handed after none of the players cleared the quarter-final stage.

Earlier, top national women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah lost 21-15, 11-21, 7-21 to world number two Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee of South Korea.

Men’s singles player Ng Tze Yong also crashed out of the quarter-finals, losing 20-22, 15-21 to world number three Kodai Naraoka of Japan.

Kodai will next meet China’s Shi Yu Qi, who ousted Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan 21-18, 21-12.

In the morning session, national singles ace Lee Zii Jia went down fighting to HS Prannoy of India 16-21, 23-21, 20-22, while mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei lost 14-21, 21-23 to defending champions Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong of China. - BERNAMA