KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair, Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik, underlined their elite status after cruising into the quarterfinals of the 2026 India Open with an assured performance on Thursday.
The world number two combination needed just 33 minutes to overcome Japan’s
Takumi Nomura–Yuichi Shimogami, ranked 35th in the world, winning 21-9, 23-21 in the second round at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.
The opening game saw Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in complete control, dictating pace and shutting down the Japanese pair’s attacking options with sharp interceptions and precise net play.
However, the contest tightened in the second game as Nomura and Shimogami mounted a spirited comeback, overturning an early deficit to lead 16-13 and later reaching game point at 20-18.
Drawing on their experience as former world champions, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik remained composed under pressure. The Malaysian duo reeled off crucial points to level at 20-20 before sealing the match 23-21 with two decisive rallies.
Watch the match highlights below:
In the quarterfinals, Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik will face Taiwan’s Lee Jhe Huei–Yang Po Hsuan, ranked 15th in the world. The Taiwanese pair advanced after eliminating Malaysia’s defending champions, Goh Sze Fei–Nur Izzuddin, in a three-game battle.
Based on head-to-head records, the Malaysians hold a clear advantage, having won all four previous meetings against the Taiwanese duo — a statistic that positions them as strong favorites to progress to the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Malaysia also celebrated success in another men’s doubles encounter as
Man Wei Chong–Tee Kai Wun battled past France’s Christo Popov–Toma Junior Popov in a thrilling three-game contest.
The fifth-seeded Malaysians recovered from a slow start to secure a 13-21, 21-12, 21-14 victory, extending their unbeaten run against the Popov brothers to five consecutive wins. They will next face China’s formidable pairing, Liang Wei Keng–Wang Chang, in the quarterfinals.
In women’s doubles action, Malaysia’s top-ranked pair Pearly Tan–M Thinaah also lived up to expectations by booking their place in the last eight.
The world number two duo dispatched France’s Margot Lambert–Camille Pognante 21-7, 23-21 in just 31 minutes, displaying dominant court coverage and tactical discipline throughout the match.
Pearly and Thinaah are set to meet Taiwan’s ninth-ranked pair, Hsieh Pei Shan–Hung En Tzu, with a semifinal berth at stake.
With multiple Malaysian pairs advancing deep into the tournament, the 2026 India Open continues to deliver encouraging signs for the nation’s badminton contingent.
