National shuttlers Choong Hon Jian-Haikal and Wan Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King have made notable progress this year, ranking among the top 30 men’s pairs in the world. However, coach Tan Bin Shen believes they still have much to improve.
While Bin Shen is happy both pairs have qualified for elite World Tour events, he wants to see more significant achievements. Hon Jian-Haikal is currently ranked 19th, and Arif-Roy King is 22nd. Both pairs struggle against the top eight, often facing early exits.
At the recent China Open, Hon Jian-Haikal lost in the first round to South Korea’s world No. 2, Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Seung Jae. Arif-Roy King fell to Denmark’s world No. 3, Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, in the Denmark Open second round.
Despite these setbacks, there were successes this year. Hon Jian-Haikal won the Orleans Masters and reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Arif-Roy King finished second at the Spain Masters and reached the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters.
“It’s still not enough,” Bin Shen stated regarding their progress. He emphasized the need for them to start winning against top-eight opponents. He pointed out that while they have reached Super 1000 tournaments, complacency is not an option. They must work harder to avoid stagnation.
“The first step is to consistently reach the quarter-finals,” he added. As non-top-eight pairs, they often meet seeded opponents early and must aim to create upsets. Bin Shen hopes for visible progress by early 2025.
He also sees potential for more Malaysian pairs in the top 10 but noted that even world No. 14 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun need to improve their consistency. While they had a strong run to the Indonesia Open final in June, maintaining that form has been challenging.
At the Arctic Open, Wei Chong-Kai Wun pushed China’s world No. 1 pair to their limits in the quarter-finals but faltered at crucial moments. “They have proven they can compete against anyone,” Bin Shen said. “It’s disappointing they couldn’t build on their Indonesia Open success. There’s no reason they can’t be among the best.”
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