Copenhagen: The men’s doubles defending champions Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik secure a spot in the third round of the 2023 World Championships on Wednesday.
The Malaysian duo triumphed over the Danish pair Jeppe Bay/Lasse Mølhede in a gripping match that saw scores of 18-21, 21-14, 21-16.
Highlights of Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik vs. Jeppe Bay/Lasse Mølhede in the second round of the 2023 World Championships:
The World No. 31 Jeppe Bay/Lasse Mølhede capitalized on their home-court advantage in the first round. They fiercely battled to an 18-18 tie before ultimately sealing a game victory with an impressive three-point streak.
In the pivotal second game, Chia/Soh launched an impressive 6-0 offensive, propelling them to a 9-5 lead. Though the score evened out at 10 points apiece, they executed an 8-2 offensive towards the end of the game to level the match at 1-1.
In the decider, Chia/Soh initially trailed 10-11 at the mid-game interval but rallied with a remarkable three-point streak and ultimately claimed the well-deserved victory. In the upcoming match, they are set to face the Tokyo Olympic champions, Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin.
Before Chia/Soh, two other Malaysian men’s doubles pairs, Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi, as well as Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun, have also advanced to the 3rd round.
In the men’s singles category, Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia won a 2-0 victory over Canada’s standout Brian Yang, securing his place in the 3rd round.
Highlights of Lee Zii Jia vs. Brian Yang in the second round of the 2023 World Championships:
Lee started the first game with a resounding smash, securing the first two points consecutively. Despite Yang’s efforts, Lee’s fierce smashes dominated several exchanges. With an 11-3 lead at the technical timeout, Lee continued to expand his advantage. Despite a few errors at 14-5, which allowed his opponent to score three consecutive points. Nevertheless, Lee proved too strong as he claimed the first game with a score of 21-11.
In the second game, Yang sought improvement, yet luck seemed to favor Li Zijia’s side as Lee rallied and secured another game victory at 21-16.
As the journey continues, Lee will play Anders Antonsen of Denmark on Thursday.
Antonsen, on the other hand, defeated Malaysian player Ng Tze Yong 24-22, 21-16 to advance to the 3rd round.
Highlights of Ng Tze Yong vs. Anders Antonsen in the second round of the 2023 World Championships:
