PARIS: National men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei confirmed their tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympics quarter-finals, after notching second consecutive victories in their group stage matches, today.
However, both the pairs are set for tougher challenge in their last group stage matches, to decide the group winner and their prospective opponents in the knock-out stage.
The world number four Aaron-Wooi Yik, who are the reigning bronze medalist, beat Adam Dong-Nyl Yakura of Canada 21-10, 21-15 in a 40-minute Group A match.
Awaiting the 2022 world champions are world number one Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang, who earlier defeated Great Britain’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy 21-18, 13-21, 21-14.
“This is the first time we play them, though the level is different it was a little tricky because one is left-handed (Adam), one right-handed. But our advantage is in terms of strength and didn’t have much problem to secure the victory.
“Next match will be tough for us, but it’s more on mindset. We just need to control our mind and give full focus on the match,” Wooi Yik told Bernama.
Based on record, Aaron-Wooi Yik only had won twice in eight matches between them, however they won the last encounter against the Chinese pair at the Thomas Cup semi-finals in April when Malaysia lost 1-3 to the hosts in Chengdu.
Yesterday, they bounced back from a set down to beat world number 18 Ben Lane-Sean Vendy of Great Britain 19-21, 21-16, 21-11.
Meanwhile, Tang Jie-Ee Wei secured another straight sets victory against Vinson Chiu-Jennie Gai of the United States 21-15, 24-22 in a Group D match today and had beaten Terry Hee Yong Kai-Jessica Tan Wei Han 23-21, 21-12 yesterday.
The world number nine pair are set to face an uphill task against Asian champions, Feng Yang Zhe-Huang Dong Ping of China.
