Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pairs have been reunited, but national doubles head coach Herry IP has made it clear that the decision comes with high expectations.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun have both received approval from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to return to their original partnerships following the recent pairing experiment.
World No. 4 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik had been given permission to reunite after reaching the final of the World Championships in New Delhi, while world No. 11 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun also received the green light to resume their partnership.
However, Herry wants the reunited pairs to show results quickly, with the upcoming European swing providing their first major opportunity.
The coach has set a clear target across the Denmark Open from October 13 to 18, the French Open from October 20 to 25 and the Hylo Open from October 27 to November 1.
“At the minimum, from these three tournaments, there must be a champion,” Herry said.
For Aaron and Wooi Yik, winning a title would be particularly important as they look to rebuild their confidence following a difficult period. Their runner-up finish at the World Championships showed that they remain capable of challenging for major honours, and Herry believes a title would further justify the decision to bring them back together.
Source: NST
Wei Chong and Kai Wun, meanwhile, are being given more time to regain their rhythm after their partnership was interrupted. Even so, Herry expects them to push for the title during the European swing.
The decision to reverse the pairing experiment came after discussions involving the players, coaches and management. Both senior combinations expressed a strong preference to return to their established partnerships, eventually convincing the BAM performance committee to change course.
The move reflects the importance of chemistry and understanding in doubles badminton, particularly when dealing with established pairs who have already achieved success together.
Before the reunited combinations begin their European campaign, there will be one final tournament involving the temporary pairings at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, which runs from September 19 to October 4.
Aaron will partner Tee Kai Wun for the Games, while Wooi Yik will team up with Choong Hon Jian. Man Wei Chong will also continue his temporary partnership with Wan Arif Junaidi.
However, all three temporary combinations have been withdrawn from the Arctic Open, which runs from October 6 to 11. Herry said the short gap between the Asian Games and Arctic Open would not leave enough time for proper preparation, while the decision to restore the original partnerships was another factor behind the withdrawals.
The return of Aaron-Wooi Yik and Wei Chong-Kai Wun does not mean BAM has completely abandoned its experimentation with new combinations.
Herry confirmed that he will continue testing different pairings among the other national doubles players on the World Tour until the end of the year.
The approach gives Malaysia a balance between stability at the top and experimentation among its other combinations. While the established pairs focus on returning to title-winning form, the coaching team will continue searching for partnerships that could strengthen the country’s men’s doubles depth in the future.
For Aaron-Wooi Yik and Wei Chong-Kai Wun, however, the message is clear. Their reunions have been approved, but the European swing will provide an early test of whether returning to familiar partnerships can deliver the results Malaysia expects.
