Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are one win away from another World Championships title, but standing in their way are the opponents who have caused them plenty of problems in recent years.
The Malaysian pair will face China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in Sunday’s men’s doubles final at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
On paper, the Chinese pair have a significant advantage. Liang and Wang lead the head-to-head record 11-3 and have repeatedly found a way to beat the Malaysians despite their inconsistent results against other opponents.
That advantage was particularly painful at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Liang and Wang defeated Aaron and Wooi Yik twice. They first won their group-stage meeting before beating the Malaysians again in the semi-finals.
Now, the two pairs will meet in a World Championships final for the first time, with another major title at stake.
Aaron and Wooi Yik, however, arrive in the final with renewed confidence after producing one of their best performances of the tournament in the semi-finals.
The Malaysians defeated defending champions and world No. 1 Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae, using an aggressive approach to overpower the South Koreans.
The victory was especially significant after Kim and Seo had beaten them in the Malaysia Open and All England finals earlier this year.
That result has given Aaron and Wooi Yik belief that they can overcome the world's best when their game is firing.
The Malaysians are also chasing their first title in 14 months. Their most recent tournament victory came at the 2025 Singapore Open, making another World Championships triumph an opportunity to end a lengthy wait for silverware.
A second world title would also further strengthen their status as Malaysia's most successful men's doubles partnership.
Their journey to the final is even more impressive given the changes within the national squad earlier this season, when the pair were temporarily split and tested with different partners.
Despite that disruption, Aaron and Wooi Yik have quickly rediscovered their chemistry at the biggest stage.
Liang and Wang will be confident too. Their only title this season came at the India Open, proving they are capable of producing their best badminton in India.
The statistics may heavily favour China, but Aaron and Wooi Yik have already shown in New Delhi that they are capable of beating the best.
To claim their second world crown, the Malaysians will need to reproduce the intensity and attacking quality that carried them past Kim and Seo.
If they can maintain that level and avoid being intimidated by their poor head-to-head record, Aaron and Wooi Yik have a golden opportunity to finally overcome their bogeymen and add another chapter to their growing legacy.
