NEW DELHI: Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair, Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik, continued their impressive run at the 2026 India Open by booking a place in the semi-finals, marking their fourth consecutive appearance at this stage of the tournament.
The world number two duo delivered another composed performance at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, overcoming Taiwan’s Lee Jhe Huei–Yang Po Hsuan in straight games, 21-19, 21-14, in a quarter-final clash lasting just over half an hour.
The opening game was tightly contested, with both pairs trading points deep into the set. However, Aaron and Wooi Yik’s composure during the closing exchanges proved decisive as they edged ahead to take the first game.
Momentum firmly swung in Malaysia’s favour in the second game. Playing with greater aggression and cleaner court coverage, the former world champions reduced unforced errors and applied sustained pressure to close out the match in straight sets.
The victory extended Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik’s unbeaten head-to-head record against the Taiwanese pair to five matches, underlining their consistency at the highest level.
Watch highlights from the quarter-final below:
The result sends the Malaysian pair into the semi-finals for the fourth straight year since 2023. They reached the final in the 2023 edition before finishing as runners-up.
Standing between Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik and another India Open final is Japan’s pairing of Hiroki Midorikawa and Kyohei Yamashita, who have emerged as one of the most in-form combinations this season.
In women’s doubles, Malaysia’s top-ranked duo Pearly Tan–Thinaah Muralitharan also delivered a commanding display to secure their semi-final berth.
The world number two pair proved too strong for Taiwan’s Hsieh Pei Shan–Hung En Tzu, recording a dominant 21-16, 21-10 victory in the quarter-finals.
Pearly and Thinaah controlled the match from start to finish, dictating tempo and neutralising their opponents’ attacking threats. The win marked their third consecutive triumph over the Taiwanese duo, following earlier victories at the Japan Open and Arctic Open last year.
The result sees the Malaysian pair match their achievement from the previous edition by once again reaching the semi-finals in New Delhi.
A tougher test awaits, however, with Pearly Tan–Thinaah set to face Japan’s experienced pairing of Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto for a place in the final. Despite holding a 5–3 head-to-head advantage, the Malaysians have lost their two most recent meetings against the Japanese duo.
Semi-Final Line-Ups at the 2026 India Open
Women’s Singles Semi-Finals:
Top seed An Se Young of South Korea will take on Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, while China’s Chen Yu Fei is set to face compatriot Wang Zhi Yi in an all-China encounter.
Men’s Singles Semi-Finals:
Canada’s Victor Lai meets Taiwan’s Lin Chun-Yi in the first semi-final, followed by a high-profile clash between Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew.
Men’s Doubles Semi-Finals:
Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk–Kim Dong Ju will square off against China’s Liang Wei Keng–Wang Chang, while Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa–Kyohei Yamashita face Malaysia’s Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik.
Women’s Doubles Semi-Finals:
China’s Liu Sheng Shu–Tan Ning go up against Korea’s Baek Ha Na–Lee So Hee, while Japan’s Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto battle Malaysia’s Pearly Tan–Thinaah Muralitharan.
Mixed Doubles Semi-Finals:
China’s Feng Yan Zhe–Huang Dong Ping are scheduled to play Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh–Supissara Paewsampran, while Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen–Alexandra Bøje face China’s Jiang Zhen Bang–Wei Ya Xin.
With elite names filling every semi-final bracket, the 2026 India Open is shaping up for a dramatic finish as the world’s best battle for a place in the finals.
