Hangzhou, December 17 — Malaysia enjoyed a promising opening day at the 2025 BWF World Tour Finals, with Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan, and Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei all registering important victories to kick-start their respective campaigns.
The season-ending badminton showpiece officially got underway in Hangzhou on Tuesday, with five Malaysian doubles pairs in action across the men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles events.
Among the standout results was a long-awaited breakthrough by Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who finally overcame Indonesia’s rising pairing Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri after a tense three-game battle.
Watch highlights of Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik vs. Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri:
Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik End Winless Run After 83-Minute Marathon
Competing in Group B, world No. 2 Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik showed composure under pressure to secure a dramatic 22-24, 21-18, 21-19 victory after 83 minutes of high-intensity badminton.
The win marked their first success in three meetings against Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, a result that not only boosted their confidence but also strengthened their position in a highly competitive group.
In the other Group B clash, India’s former world No. 1 pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty also came from behind to defeat China’s Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang in three games.
Malaysia’s second men’s doubles pair, Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun, endured a narrow defeat in Group A, going down 21-23, 19-21 to Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani—their second loss to the same opponents within a week.
Group A also saw reigning world champions Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae edge past Chiu Hsiang-chieh/Wang Chi-lin of Chinese Taipei in another three-game encounter.
Pearly Tan/Thinaah Break Through Against Old Rivals
In women’s doubles, Malaysia’s top-ranked pair Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan carried their momentum from last week’s Thailand Open title into the World Tour Finals, producing an authoritative performance in their opening group match.
The world No. 2 duo needed just 46 minutes to defeat fourth seeds Jia Yifan/Zhang Shuxian 21-17, 21-11, snapping a five-match losing streak against the Chinese combination.
The victory was particularly significant, as it marked the first time Pearly and Thinaah completed a full-match win over Jia/Zhang, following an earlier walkover at the India Open earlier this year due to injury.
It was their seventh meeting, with the head-to-head now standing at 5-2 in favor of the Chinese pair.
Pearly Tan/Thinaah will next face Japan’s Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi in their second group match. The Japanese duo previously lost in straight games to compatriots Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto.
Mixed Doubles Success Adds to Malaysia’s Opening-Day Positives
Malaysia also enjoyed a winning start in mixed doubles, as Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei delivered a composed performance to secure their opening group victory, further strengthening Malaysia’s presence across multiple disciplines.
However, it was a mixed day overall for the Malaysian contingent, with Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai unable to get their campaign off the mark.
With crucial group matches still to come, Malaysia’s early victories provide a strong platform as the race for the semifinals intensifies at the 2025 BWF World Tour Finals—a fitting climax to another thrilling year in international badminton.
