Shenzhen, China – Top Malaysian men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik narrowly avoided an early exit at the 2025 China Masters after surviving a fierce second-round battle on Thursday.
Watch highlights of Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik vs. Ben Lane and Sean Vendy in 2025 China Masters second round:
The world No. 2 duo dropped the opening game 14-21 to England’s Ben Lane and Sean Vendy (ranked No. 14), sending shockwaves through the crowd at Shenzhen Arena.
Refusing to crumble, the 2022 World Champions rallied in the second game with better control and tempo to win 21-15, forcing a decider. In the final game, both pairs traded points neck-and-neck before Chia and Soh finally edged through 25-23, closing the match after 1 hour and 12 minutes of intense action.
They will now face either fellow Malaysians Man Wei Chong–Tee Kai Wun or Indonesian pair Leo Rolly Carnando–Bagas Maulana in the quarterfinal.
This hard-earned victory marks an improvement from their quarterfinal loss in last year’s edition, where they were defeated by China’s He Ji Ting–Ren Xiang Yu in another grueling three-setter.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s third-seeded pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin also impressed, reaching the quarterfinals.
They are set to clash with Indonesia’s strong duo Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in a high-stakes battle for a semifinal spot. This matchup promises to be one of the tournament highlights.
Malaysia’s All-Malaysian Clash Dashed: Man–Tee Fall to Indonesia
The potential all-Malaysian quarterfinal showdown was short-lived after Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun, ranked No. 8 in the world, were defeated by Indonesia’s Carnando–Maulana in a 58-minute contest, falling 10-21, 23-21, 14-21.
Pearly–Thinaah Cruise into Quarterfinals with Dominant Win
Malaysia’s leading women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah made light work of American duo Francesca Corbett and Jennie Gai, wrapping up their second-round encounter in just 26 minutes with a commanding 21-11, 21-8 scoreline.
Ranked World No. 2, Pearly–Thinaah will next face South Korea’s 6th-seeded pair Baek Ha Na–Lee So Hee in the quarterfinal.
Mixed Doubles Woes: Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei advance, Hoo Pang Ron–Cheng Su Yin Fall to China’s No. 2 Pair
In mixed doubles, Malaysia’s Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin couldn’t sustain their early momentum and bowed out to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping, the No. 2 seeds. Despite winning the first game 21-16, the Malaysians couldn’t maintain consistency and lost the next two 7-21, 10-21 in a 58-minute contest.
The reigning mixed doubles world champions – Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei will take on Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong in the quarters.
Leong Jun Hao Falls Again to Li Shi Feng
Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao, ranked No. 22, saw his 2025 China Masters campaign end in the second round following a three-game loss to China’s top contender Li Shi Feng.
Jun Hao recovered from a first-game defeat to take the second but faltered in the decider, going down 11-21, 21-19, 8-21 in 67 minutes. This marks his seventh loss in eight meetings with Shi Feng, who also eliminated him in the quarterfinals of last week’s Hong Kong Open.
Jun Hao’s only win over Shi Feng came at the 2025 India Open back in January, when he stunned the world No. 4 in three hard-fought games.
