A wave of disappointment swept through the Malaysian camp as Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik walked off the court, their expressions telling a story of frustration and regret. Despite putting up a fierce fight, the men’s doubles pair couldn’t seal the crucial third point for Malaysia in their last Group C showdown against Japan at the Sudirman Cup 2025 in Xiamen, China.
The pressure was immense. With both teams tied at 2-2, all eyes turned to Aaron and Wooi Yik—the world No. 5 pairing—who had a golden opportunity to clinch a historic group-stage victory over one of their biggest rivals, Japan. On the opposite side of the net stood Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, former world champions and long-time nemeses.
The match started with promise. The Malaysian pair stormed through the opening game, winning 21-12 with a dominant display of speed and attacking precision. In the second game, they built a solid five-point cushion and looked set to close the match in straight games. However, the Japanese pair refused to back down. Demonstrating grit and calm under pressure, Hoki and Kobayashi clawed their way back, snatching the game 22-20.
Wooi Yik fell The Same Pattern on Third Game
The deciding third game followed a similar pattern. Aaron and Wooi Yik held the advantage midway through, but once again, crucial errors and a lack of composure at key moments allowed the Japanese duo to turn the tide. After 69 minutes of high-octane badminton, the Malaysians succumbed 21-23, leaving the court visibly distraught.
This defeat extended Aaron and Wooi Yik’s poor head-to-head record against Hoki-Kobayashi, with the Japanese duo now holding nine victories out of their last eleven encounters since 2019.
Reflecting on the match, Wooi Yik admitted it was a tough pill to swallow. “It was a very close match. We started strong and played well, but they were more composed and mentally stronger, especially in the pressure points,” he said in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF). “They’ve beaten us several times before, and that confidence probably helped them in the closing stages.”
Dеѕріtе the loss, Mаlауѕіа ѕtіll ԛuаlіfіеd for thе quarter-finals аѕ Group C runnеrѕ-uр. “We’re disappointed not tо dеlіvеr the final point, but wе gаvе еvеrуthіng we had,” Wooi Yіk аddеd. “Wе nееd tо lеаrn frоm thіѕ аnd mоvе fоrwаrd. The tournament іѕ fаr from оvеr.”
Bad Peformance After the Dream Start
Earlier in the tie, Malaysia made a dream start. Mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei set the tone with a 21-19, 21-18 victory over Hiroki Midorikawa and Arisa Igarashi. This was followed by a gutsy performance from Leong Jun Hao in the men’s singles, where he shocked world No. 8 Kodai Naraoka in a thrilling three-game encounter (21-8, 13-21, 21-18).
However, Jараn rеѕроndеd strongly. Tоmоkа Mіуаzаkі tооk down Goh Jin Wеі іn ѕtrаіght sets (21-14, 21-17) іn thе wоmеn’ѕ ѕіnglеѕ to brіng thе tіе level. The mоmеntum continued аѕ Jараn’ѕ wоrld Nо. 2 wоmеn’ѕ doubles duо, Nаmі Mаtѕuуаmа аnd Chіhаru Shіdа, came from bеhіnd tо edge оut Pеаrlу Tan and M. Thіnааh іn a fiercely contested 18-21, 18-21, 21-18 bаttlе.
Japan’s dominance over Malaysia in Sudirman Cup history is well documented. Back in 2017, a Malaysian squad led by the legendary Datuk Lee Chong Wei fell 2-3 to Japan during the group stages in Gold Coast. They repeated their superiority in the 2019 edition with a 3-0 whitewash in Nanning, and again in 2021 when Malaysia lost 1-4 in Vantaa, despite eventually securing a long-awaited bronze medal.
With this most recent loss, the Malaysian team will have to regroup quickly, both mentally and tactically, as they head into the high-stakes quarter-finals. The path to the podium is still within reach, but it will require greater composure, resilience, and a touch of luck to overcome the next challenge.
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