Three Malaysian Pairs in French Open Quarter-Finals as 22-Year Men's Doubles Drought Eyes an End
With three men's doubles pairs in the last eight in Paris, Malaysia has its best shot in years at a first French Open men's doubles title since Gan Teik Chai and Koo Kien Keat in 2004.
Malaysia has not lifted the French Open men's doubles crown since 2004, when Gan Teik Chai and Koo Kien Keat took the title. This week in Paris, the country has its strongest chance in years to change that, with three pairs — Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani — all through to the quarter-finals at the Grand Paris Arena. A win would also carry extra meaning as a tribute to Teik Chai, who passed away in 2023 aged 40.
The draw guarantees Malaysia at least one semi-finalist, because world No. 4 Aaron-Wooi Yik and world No. 11 Wei Chong-Kai Wun meet each other in the last eight. Aaron-Wooi Yik advanced on a walkover after Thailand's Peeratchai Sukphun-Pakkapon Teeraratsakul withdrew, while Wei Chong-Kai Wun beat former world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi of Japan 25-23, 21-14. Sixth seeds Sze Fei-Izzuddin needed three games to get past Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard, winning 21-6, 14-21, 21-18.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin face a stiffer test next against South Korea's Kim Won-ho-Seo Seung-jae, who earlier ended the run of Malaysia's Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King in the second round. Aaron-Wooi Yik came closest to the title last year, when they reached the semi-finals in Paris.
Source: The Star