Bangkok: Malaysia’s badminton elite continues to shine at the 2025 Thailand Open as top men’s pair Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik and women’s duo Pearly Tan/M. Thinaah both secured spots in the semifinals after commanding quarterfinal performances in Bangkok.
Watch Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik vs. Wan Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King in 2025 Thailand Open quarterfinals:
World No. 5 pair Aaron and Wooi Yik outclassed compatriots Wan Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King 21-12, 21-13 in just 28 minutes at the Nimibutr Stadium. While the scoreline may appear one-sided, Aaron emphasized the challenge of facing teammates.
“Matches against fellow teammates are tricky because we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses well,” Aaron told the Badminton World Federation (BWF). “As seniors, it’s not just about winning—we aim to set the tone and lead by example on court.”
Next, they’ll take on the Thai home favorites Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Kittinupong Kedren, who earlier beat Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 21-18, 21-13.
Earlier in the day, Pearly and Thinaah advanced smoothly to the semifinals by dispatching China’s Chen Qing Chen and Wang Ting Ge 21-14, 21-11 in just 34 minutes. Despite the quick win, Thinaah acknowledged it wasn’t without pressure.
“There were some tight moments despite the short match duration,” she said in a post-match interview with BWF. “But we’re happy with the win and ready to keep pushing forward.”
The Commonwealth Games gold medalists now face Japan’s Rui Hirokami and Sayaka Hobara, who defeated Indonesia’s Meilysa Trias Puspitasari and Rachel Allessya Rose 21-9, 21-16.
This marks Pearly-Thinaah’s third semifinal appearance of the year, following strong runs at the India Open and Indonesia Masters. Yet Pearly noted that they are still working to find consistency.
“We’re not fully satisfied yet. There have been highs and lows throughout the year, and we’re constantly evaluating how to improve our game,” Pearly said. “We’ll take it one match at a time.”
As Malaysia’s top doubles pairs head into the semifinals, hopes are high for a spot in the finals of this prestigious Super 500 tournament.
