Malaysian men's doubles coach Herry Iman Piengardi has urged fans to remain patient with rising pair Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King, warning against placing too much pressure on the duo despite their encouraging start together.
The pair have attracted attention following their recent performances, with some supporters comparing them to South Korea's world No. 1 combination of Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae. Aaron Tai has also drawn comparisons with former Malaysian doubles great Yap Kim Hock due to his aggressive, left-handed playing style. Roy King is, in fact, Kim Hock's nephew.
However, Herry believes such comparisons are premature, stressing that the young Malaysians are still at an early stage of their partnership.
“They have just started as a pair and have a long way to go,” Herry said.
He added that while Aaron Tai and Kim Hock may share some physical similarities, their playing styles are different. The coach also emphasised that the new combination is developing its own identity rather than trying to follow the path of established players.
“Aaron-Roy King are creating their own style of play,” he said.
Source: NST
Herry acknowledged that the pair still have weaknesses to address and need more opportunities to compete against the world's leading combinations. He believes giving them sufficient time to develop will be important to their long-term progress.
The duo made an encouraging start by winning the Arctic Open Super 500 title in Vantaa, Finland, last month. However, they soon faced tougher tests against some of the world's best, losing to compatriots Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik at the Denmark Open before falling to South Korea's Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae at the French Open.
They responded well at the Hylo Open, reaching the semi-finals after defeating Indonesia's Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, as well as Taiwan's Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi Lin. Their campaign ended against Denmark's Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer, who went on to win the tournament.
Aaron and Roy King will now turn their attention to the Kumamoto Masters, scheduled for November 10 to 15, followed by the Hong Kong Open from November 17 to 22.
Both tournaments will provide further opportunities for the Malaysians to test themselves against international opposition and continue building their partnership. While their early results have generated excitement, Herry believes patience and steady development will be key to helping the pair reach their potential.
