Malaysia’s Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were unable to complete their historic mission of becoming the country’s first men’s doubles pair to win two BWF World Championship titles, after falling to China’s Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in the 2026 final.
The world No.4 Malaysians were beaten 17-21, 16-21 in 35 minutes by the world No.3 Chinese combination, who also own an Olympic silver medal.
The defeat ended Aaron-Wooi Yik’s hopes of repeating their historic triumph at the 2022 World Championships in Tokyo, when they claimed Malaysia’s men’s doubles world title.
The final began at a frantic pace, with both combinations exchanging points and refusing to give each other room to establish control.
Liang-Wang eventually reached the mid-game interval with a narrow 11-10 advantage.
The Chinese pair then increased the pressure after the break, forcing Aaron and Wooi Yik into longer rallies and controlling the pace of the contest.
Their consistency allowed them to close out the opening game 21-17.
The Malaysians attempted to change the momentum in the second game, but an untidy start left them trailing early.
Liang-Wang immediately capitalised, building a growing advantage as Aaron and Wooi Yik struggled to find the same rhythm that had carried them through the earlier rounds.
The Malaysian pair did manage a late response, narrowing the gap and briefly threatening to force the Chinese combination into a nervy finish.
But Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang remained composed. They closed out the second game 21-16, completing a straight-games victory and claiming the world title.
The defeat was especially disappointing because Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik entered the tournament with a very different mindset.
Following a period of experimentation and changes surrounding Malaysia’s men’s doubles setup, the pair deliberately embraced the role of underdogs, attempting to remove the pressure that had accompanied them as one of the world’s leading combinations.
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