Going steady: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have been in fine form since April, capturing the Asian Championships, Thailand Open and Singapore Open titles.

Early round clash for Man-Tee and Yap-Arif for the second time

PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi has expressed his frustration with the Japan Open draw after two Malaysian pairs – Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi – are once again pitted against each other in the early rounds, marking their second consecutive meeting at this stage of a tournament.

World No. 7 Wei Chong-Kai Wun and world No. 23 Roy King-Arif are set to clash in the opening round of the tournament, which begins next Tuesday in Tokyo.

The draw comes just a month after the two pairs faced off in the second round of the Indonesian Open in Jakarta.

Herry could not hide his disappointment with the draw which only allows one of his charges to progress to the second round.

“The draw is not good for Wei Chong-Kai Wun and Arif-Roy King,” said Herry.

“The two pairs had to meet each other early in the Indonesian Open too. They have no choice but to fight hard to try to win.”

Wei Chong-Kai Wun beat their younger teammates in three games in Indonesia and hold the advantage over the latter as they have never lost to them in all their past four encounters.

There will also be another all-Malaysians clash in Japan in the opening round between world No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and independent pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi.

Aaron-Wooi Yik will start as the favourites based on their fine form and head-to-head record over Yew Sin-Ee Yi, who are currently ranked No. 30 in the world.

The former have beaten the latter six times in their past eight meetings.

Aaron-Wooi Yik have also been in fine form since April, capturing the Asian Championships, Thailand Open and Singapore Open titles and finishing runners-up to world No. 7 teammates Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the Malaysian Masters.

Yew Sin-Ee Yi, though, are struggling for form this year, suffering first-round exits in all their competitions except the Malaysian Open in January where they made it to the last eight.

Meanwhile, the other Malaysians in the men’s doubles competing in the tourney are world No. 1 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and world No. 26 Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub.

Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who are also the defending champions, should have no problems getting past Canada’s world No. 66 Kevin Lee-Ty Alexander in the first round while Wee Kiong-Azriyn have a trickier opening task against world No. 18 French brothers Toma Junior Popov-Christo Popov.

In the men’s singles, world No. 24 Leong Jun Hao faces a tough task against world No. 8 and defending champion Alex Lanier of France.

Jun Hao is Malaysia’s sole representative in the singles after independent player Lee Zii Jia withdrew from the tournament after he could not recover in time from a troublesome ankle injury.