Men’s doubles badminton pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are ready to compete again at the Arctic Open in Finland from October 8-13, following a period of recovery.
Wooi Yik has been out of action due to a fractured toe and last played when he won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics over a month ago. The duo missed several tournaments, including events in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and China.
National coaching director Rexy Mainaky confirmed that Wooi Yik has fully recovered and is back in training. “Wooi Yik resumed normal training on Friday (September 20). He and Aaron will return for the Arctic Open,” Rexy stated after a training session at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara.
Both players are eager to make up for lost time and regain ranking points. “They will take it step by step to get their rhythm back in matches,” Rexy added.
Due to their absence, Aaron and Wooi Yik dropped from No. 3 to No. 5 in the world rankings. They face challenges in qualifying for the World Tour Finals, scheduled for December 11-15 in Hangzhou, as they currently sit in 15th place in the Race to Hangzhou rankings. Only the top eight pairs will qualify.
Rexy emphasized the importance of ensuring players are fully ready, both physically and mentally, before returning to competition. “Many Olympians are either not at their best or choosing to skip tournaments,” he noted. “It’s normal for some players to be mentally unprepared for competition.”
He reassured fans that while qualifying for the Tour Finals is still possible, missing out this year would allow them to try again next year.
Following the Arctic Open, Aaron and Wooi Yik are also scheduled to compete in the Denmark Open (October 15-20), Korean Masters (November 5-10), Japan Masters (November 12-17), and China Masters (November 19-24).
In other news, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, who recently became independent players, have entered the world’s top 10 after winning the China Open. They climbed from No. 12 to a career-best No. 8 and are close to qualifying for the Tour Finals, currently ranked No. 5 in the Race to Hangzhou.
In mixed doubles, Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie moved up from No. 12 to No. 10 in the world rankings. They are just below national pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, who are ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the Race to Hangzhou rankings, and are both likely to qualify for the Tour Finals.
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