Badminton News: With all eyes on defending champions Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik at the World Championships next week in Copenhagen, men’s doubles duo Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi could be flying under the radar and could make a few surprises.

After receiving a bye in the first round, world number 8 Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi will next face the winner of the match between Pharanyu Kasamaang/Worrapol Thongsa Nga of Thailand and Vinson Chiu/Joshua Yuan of America.

Unsurprisingly, former World Championship bronze medalists Yew Sin/Ee Yi will face Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark in the next round.

Unlike world number 4 Aaron/Wooi Yik who had a much tougher draw, Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi are only set to face their biggest test in the quarter-finals, against India’s world number 2 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty or the Indonesians. Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Martin.

However, former silver medalist Koo Kien Keat doesn’t see a big favorite this year. The 2006 Asian Games champion said: “Men’s doubles is a very open game. The days when strong pairs dominated Open tournaments are over. Now it’s different. The top four pairs are not guaranteed to win. title,” he said.

“For me, there’s no hard or easy draw. It’s anybody’s game, really.”

Kien Keat, who sits on BAM’s technical advisory board, said the focus has always been on domestic players more than independent players, as they are responsible for every penny invested.

“Indies (including Yew Sin-Ee Yi), on the other hand, just have to answer to their sponsors. I don’t want to put anyone under undue pressure. What I’m saying is I can’t really vote for anyone.”

The other Malaysian men’s doubles pair competing is two-time Taiwan Open Man champion Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun. They will open their campaign against Frenchman Lucas Corvee-Ronan Labar and will likely meet South Korean Choi Sol Gyu-Kim Won Ho in the second round.

Article Tags: Ong Yew Sin, Teo Ee Yi, BWF World Championships 2023