KUALA LUMPUR, National men’s doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are optimistic about ending the country’s seven-year title drought at the 2024 Malaysia Masters badminton tournament, set to begin tomorrow at the Axiata Arena here.

Being the tournament’s favourites in the absence of several top men’s doubles pairs, the 2022 world champions represent Malaysia’s best chance to win a title since Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing clinched the mixed doubles title in 2017.

Aaron, however, stressed that though they had a good chance to win here, their plan is to peak at the upcoming 2024 Olympics Games in Paris, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.

‘We are progressing well and hope to be consistent with this performance until the Olympics. We don’t feel the pressure as the top seeds in this event, (because) for World Tour tournaments, it is not about seeding but focusing on our own preparations,’ he told reporters after official training here today.

Meanwhile, Wooi Yik said their preparations have been good, espe
cially with a lot of analysis after the Thomas Cup to enhance their performance.

‘We take this tournament as a trial before the bigger tournament. We are focused on our game and maintain our condition, of course we will do our best to be champions at the Malaysia Masters,’ he said.

Aaron and Wooi Yik are still waiting for their first-round opponents from the qualification round, before facing the winner between China’s Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi and Bjarne Geiss-Jan Colin Voelker of Germany in the last 16.

After the Super 500 Malaysia Masters, the world number four Aaron-Wooi Yik will play in the Singapore Open from May 28 to June 2 and the Indonesia Open from June 4 to 8, before fully focusing on their Olympic preparations.

Other Malaysians in the men’s doubles field are 2023 finalists Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Choong Hon Jian-Haikal Nazri, Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong, Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King and Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency