National men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi said top pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik were outclassed in terms of speed and power when they were eliminated in the Singapore Open quarter-finals yesterday.
The second seeds and defending champions were beaten 15-21, 15-21 by China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the Super 750 tournament.
Herry noted that the Malaysian pair also committed several unforced errors throughout the match, while their playing style was effectively read by their opponents.
He said the world No. 2 duo were constantly placed under pressure as they struggled to match the intensity of the fifth-seeded Chinese pair.
The defeat further extended their poor record against Liang and Wang, with Aaron-Wooi Yik now losing 11 of their 14 encounters.
Herry also commented on the performance of young pair Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai, who were unable to hold on after a strong start in their quarter-final match.
The youngsters lost 19-21, 21-17, 21-13 to India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty despite winning the opening game and showing early dominance.
He said inconsistency and unforced errors allowed their opponents to take control, with the Malaysian pair eventually running out of momentum in the deciding game.
Khai Xing-Aaron will have an opportunity to seek revenge when they meet the Indian pair again in the opening round of the Indonesia Open in Jakarta from June 2 to 7.
Meanwhile, Aaron-Wooi Yik are set to begin their campaign against compatriots Wan Junaidi Wan Arif and Yap Roy King.
