Odense, Denmark: Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik made a winning start after resuming their regular partnership, defeating former world champions Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi in the opening round of the 2026 Denmark Open.
The Malaysian fourth seeds needed three games to overcome the experienced Japanese pair 21-19, 14-21, 21-11 and advance to the men’s doubles round of 16 at the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament.
Watch Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik vs Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi
Source: Match 4U
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Survive Three-Game Battle
Aaron and Soh took a closely contested opening game 21-19 before Hoki and Kobayashi responded strongly to win the second 21-14.
The Malaysians raised their level in the deciding game. After establishing control early, Aaron and Soh pulled away from the Japanese pair and closed out the match 21-11.
The victory improved their career head-to-head record against Hoki and Kobayashi to 4-9 after entering the match with only three wins from their previous 12 meetings.
The encounter also brought together two pairs with major championship experience. Hoki and Kobayashi won the World Championships in 2021, while Aaron and Soh are also former world champions and finished as runners-up at this year’s World Championships.
Both pairs have also previously won the Denmark Open, with Aaron and Soh lifting the title in 2023.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Back Together for Long-Term Push
Malaysia experimented with several different men’s doubles combinations during the season, temporarily separating Aaron and Soh.
The pair reunited for the World Championships in New Delhi, where they reached the final, and later confirmed that they would resume their partnership following the Asian Games as they build toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Denmark Open marks the latest chapter in that renewed partnership.
In the second round, Aaron and Soh will face either fellow Malaysians Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King, the newly crowned 2026 Arctic Open champions, or South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Lee Jongmin.
Mixed Results for Other Men’s Doubles Pairs
Elsewhere in the men’s doubles draw, newly crowned Asian Games champions Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin of Indonesia withdrew from their opening-round match, sending China’s Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi directly into the next round.
The Chinese pair will next face either South Korea’s top seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae or Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard.
Two other Indonesian combinations were eliminated. Seventh seeds Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani lost to Japan’s Hiroki Okamura and Kyohei Yamashita, while Ali Faathir Rayhan and Devin Artha Wahyudi were beaten by China’s Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi.
Malaysia has six men’s doubles pairs in the tournament. Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun, as well as Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi, are scheduled to begin their campaigns against Danish and Chinese Taipei opposition respectively.
There will also be an all-Malaysian opening-round clash between Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong and sixth seeds Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.
Leong Jun Hao Knocked Out by Koki Watanabe
Malaysia’s men’s singles campaign came to an early end after Leong Jun Hao lost to Japan’s Koki Watanabe 6-21, 19-21.
It was another disappointing result for the 27-year-old Malaysian against Watanabe, who had also beaten him in straight games in the round of 16 at this year’s All England.
Watanabe will next meet Chinese Taipei third seed Chou Tien Chen, who survived a three-game contest against India’s Lakshya Sen 21-18, 13-21, 21-15.
Alex Lanier Advances to Second Round
World champion Alex Lanier of France defeated China’s former world junior champion Hu Zhe An 21-18, 21-13.
The result reversed Lanier’s defeat to Hu at the Malaysia Masters earlier this year.
Lanier will face India’s Kidambi Srikanth in the second round after the former world No. 1 also advanced from his opening match.
Canada’s two-time World Championships bronze medalist Victor Lai, the eighth seed, also progressed and will next play Singapore’s Jason Teh Jia Heng.
Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing Advance in Mixed Doubles
Malaysia enjoyed better news in mixed doubles as Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing defeated Spain’s Ruben Garcia and Lucia Rodriguez 21-18, 21-16.
They will face Thailand’s fifth seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran in the second round.
However, Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien were unable to join them in the last 16.
The Malaysian pair took the opening game against All England champions Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan of Chinese Taipei but eventually lost 21-19, 16-21, 19-21.
The defeat continued a difficult season for Wong and Lim, who have now exited in the opening round of 15 consecutive BWF World Tour tournaments this year.
For Malaysia, attention will now turn to Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik as they attempt to build on a hard-earned first-round victory and regain momentum as one of the leading men’s doubles combinations in international badminton.