Promising start for top men’s doubles pairs at Malaysia Masters

 Top seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik beat Singapore’s Wesley Koh-Junsuke Kubo to book their spot in the last 16.

Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will meet either French pair Julien Maio-William Villeger or Scottish brothers Christopher Grimley-Matthew Grimley on Thursday. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Top seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani started their campaign at the Malaysia Masters today on a promising note, booking their spots in the last 16 at the Unifi Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.

Aaron-Wooi Yik, who were runners-up last year, recovered from a sluggish first game against unheralded Singapore pair Wesley Koh-Junsuke Kubo to win 19-21, 21-10, 21-12 in 45 minutes.

In the last-16 match on Thursday, the world No 2 pair will meet either French pair Julien Maio-William Villeger or Scottish brothers Christopher Grimley-Matthew Grimley.

World No 9 duo Sze Fei-Izzuddin had an easier opener against new Indonesian pair Erwiansyah Putra-Maulana Bagas, winning 21-16, 21-14 in 30 minutes.

In the second round, they will meet compatriots Chia Wei Jie-Teo Ee Yi, who are playing in their second international tournament as a pair. Wei Jie-Ee Yi beat Canadian pair Kevin Lee-Ty Alexander Lindeman 21-18, 21-15 in 28 minutes.

Two Malaysian doubles pairs were eliminated from the championships in the first round. Carmen Ting-Ong Xin Yee lost to Taiwan’s Hsieh Yi En-Teng Chun Hsun 15-21, 20-22 in 39 minutes. Chong Jie Yu-Vanessa Ng went down to another Taiwanese pair, Chen Yan Fei-Sun Liang Ching, 19-21, 17-21 in 33 minutes. - FMT