Kuala lumpur: National men's doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik showed they were almost on par with South Korea's Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae in yesterday's Malaysia Open final, but crumbled under pressure at the crucial moments, said national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rexy highlighted Seung Jae's intelligence in controlling the game and the Korean world No. 1 pair's mental toughness as the key factors that made the difference. In their previous meeting, Aaron-Wooi Yik had emerged victorious, but this time, the Korean pair's confidence in critical situations gave them the edge. Rexy noted a particular moment at 19-18 in the third game when Aaron hesitated, resulting in a crucial mistake.
Aaron-Wooi Yik lost the match 15-21, 21-12, 18-21 in a 66-minute battle, thereby extending Malaysia's 12-year title drought in the men's doubles event at the prestigious tournament. Rexy mentioned that the Malaysians were inconsistent in the first game, but overall, they played according to plan, especially in the second game where they managed to implement their strategy of stopping the Korean pair from dominating the front court.
Rexy also addressed the issue of having only one Malaysian representative in the Super 1000 final, stating that comparisons should not be made as each pair has different levels and strengths. He emphasized that having multiple pairs does not guarantee success in a high-level tournament like the Super 1000, where all top 10 players compete.
Meanwhile, national men's doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi expressed that Aaron-Wooi Yik's performance at the Malaysia Open was among their best, despite not clinching the title. He acknowledged the challenge posed by the South Korean pair, describing them as tough opponents who require opponents to earn every point.
Herry further mentioned that other Malaysian pairs such as Wei Chong-Kai Wun, Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal, and Wan Arif-Yap Roy King need more time and training to reach the level of Aaron-Wooi Yik.