Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik saw their run at the China Masters 2025 end in the semi-finals after a straight-games defeat to India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Saturday.
The world No. 2 Malaysians made a promising start in the opening game, carving out a 10-7 lead, but they could not sustain the momentum. The former world No. 1 Indian duo seized control and closed out the game 21-17.
In the second game, Aaron and Wooi Yik struggled to contain their opponents’ relentless attack. Satwiksairaj and Chirag stormed to an 8-2 advantage and never looked back, sealing the match 21-14 to secure their place in the final.
The defeat was particularly disappointing for the Malaysians, who were hoping to avenge their World Championships quarter-final loss in Paris last month at the hands of the same Indian pair. Instead, their rivals once again proved to be the stumbling block, narrowing Aaron-Wooi Yik’s head-to-head lead to 11-5 across 16 encounters.
Despite the setback, Aaron and Wooi Yik’s semi-final finish matched their best-ever result at the China Masters, first achieved in 2019. It serves as a reminder of their consistency at the highest level, even if the coveted title remains elusive.
The Malaysians will now turn their focus to upcoming tournaments as they continue their hunt for a first title of the 2025 season.
Credit Photo : David Wirawan/SBA
