BAC 2025: AARON-WOII YIK POISED FOR A COMEBACK, SAYS RAZIF

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- Despite a string of lacklustre performances recently, 2022 men’s doubles world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are seen as having the potential to roar back into form at the 2025 Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) in Ningbo, China, starting tomorrow.

This confidence was expressed by national badminton legend Datuk Razif Sidek, based on the relatively easy path awaiting the sixth seeds at the tournament, which will be held at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium until this Sunday.

“Based on Aaron-Wooi Yik’s draw at BAC 2025, I think it’s only from the quarter-finals onwards that it gets tough. It’s not impossible; they can definitely succeed as long as they stay serious and give 100 per cent focus.

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“In terms of experience, there’s no issue. They have beaten other top world pairs, including those from China and Indonesia. Moreover, they are not carrying any worrying injuries that could prevent them from performing this time,” he told Bernama.

The world number six pair had previously been hampered by injuries to Aaron, which saw them exit in the first round of two recent tournaments — the 2025 Orleans Masters in France and the 2025 All England Championships last month.

Aaron-Wooi Yik will open their BAC 2025 campaign against an unseeded Japanese pair, Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura, with the head-to-head record favouring the Malaysians 3-0.

They are then expected to face a lesser-known Indian pair, Hariharan Amsakarunan-Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, before encountering a real test in the quarter-finals should the third seeds from Indonesia, Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto, progress to that stage.

Commenting on the chances of the world number two pair, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Razif, who once clinched the BAC title in 1992 alongside his brother, Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek, said they are expected to face a stern test following a tough draw at the tournament, which offers a total prize pool of USD500,000 (RM2.23 million).

Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, who are the top seeds, will face 2021 world champions from Japan, Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, in the first round, with the Japanese pair having won three of their four previous encounters.

Also accompanying Aaron-Wooi Yik and Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin in the men’s doubles campaign are eighth seeds Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and the duo of Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King.

Meanwhile, Razif hopes the country’s top women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, can fully focus on their opening match against South Korea’s Kim Hye Jeong-Kong Hee Yong and put in a convincing campaign despite being overshadowed by off-court issues.

Recently, the media reported that the future of Pearly-Thinaah is in doubt, as they have yet to sign a new contract with the Badminton Association of Malaysia after their previous one ended in January. It was also reported that they are ‘planning’ to leave the national body.

At the same time, Razif hopes to see at least one Malaysian mixed doubles pair reach the semi-finals, following the recent split of Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.

Additionally, the 62-year-old figure finds it difficult to predict the performance of the singles players, especially in the men's category, with professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia forced to skip the 2025 edition due to a right ankle injury.

Malaysia will rely on 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Ng Tze Yong, who is making a comeback after more than a year out, alongside Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh, while Goh Jin Wei, K. Letshanaa, and Wong Ling Ching will shoulder the women’s singles challenge.

Zii Jia was the last Malaysian to win the BAC title at the 2022 edition in Muntinlupa, Philippines.

-- BERNAMA