Malaysia’s World No.2 men’s doubles pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, have set their priorities straight. They have downplayed their expectations at the Malaysian Masters. To them, rather than the home tournament, the world championships are more important.

Aaron made it clear that they set their sights on bigger events like the World Championships, Asian Games, and the World Tour Finals for better points.

“I don’t think it’s about chasing just any title," Aaron said in an interview with New Straits Times. "We’re already close to June now, and next year the Olympic cycle begins, so at our age, the focus has to be more on the major tournaments."

Aaron-Wooi Yik earned a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, yet they have struggled to break through at the World Tour Finals. The pair has never advanced beyond the group stage despite six qualifications since 2019.

“We don't get many titles. I think titles are not the main thing for us," the 29-year-old said while elaborating on their priorities for the remainder of the year."I think we should focus on major tournaments. But we will do our best." 

When asked about what events would get their major attention, Aaron kept his answers direct.

"This year there's the World Championships, the Asian Games, and the World Tour Finals. Those are the three tournaments we are focusing on most," he said.

The Malaysian shuttlers are making a very calculated move, portraying the World Tour Finals as a blockage, as they still have to get past the group stage.

Recent Form Shows Finals Consistency Despite Title Drought

Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik both reached the Malaysia Open 2026 final in January after making a strong comeback to defeat Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in the semi-finals. But they ended falling short in the finals against South Korea’s Seo Seung Jae and Kim Won Ho.

The pair also reached the 2026 All England Championship finals in March after winning over China’s Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the semi-finals, standing steady in the opening game.

They finished as runners-up to the same Korean duo.

Their title defense at the Badminton Asia Championships ended in disappointment, too. Aaron and Soh Wooi ended up losing to South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju in the quarterfinals after losing in three games after 80 minutes of play.

Their most recent performance was at the Malaysia Masters 2026. The top seeds rebounded from a near-upset from Singapore’s Wesley Koh and Kubo Junsuke as they lost the first game, but quickly got back in the next two.

Currently, the pair is at No.2 in the BWF rankings in 2026, with their consistency in making deep runs.

Do you think they will be able to earn their place in the upcoming World Tour Finals?

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar