Chia and Soh Overcome Challenge to Advance in 2026 BWF World Championships

In their opening match at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi, Malaysian badminton stars Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik faced a tough challenge but managed to prevail. After losing the first game, the former world champions fought back to win the match against Thailand's Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul, securing their place in the third round.

The match lasted 58 minutes, with Chia and Soh eventually winning 15-21, 21-11, 21-18 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The victory is particularly significant as the pair has reunited for this tournament after competing with different partners in recent months due to a reshuffle in Malaysia's men's doubles team.

Despite a strong start from the Thai duo, who controlled the pace and took the first game, Chia and Soh adjusted their strategy. They increased their aggression and tightened their overall play, which allowed them to dominate the second game and force a deciding set. The final game remained closely contested, but the Malaysian pair's experience shone through as they secured the win.

In other matches, fellow Malaysians Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun also advanced, setting up an all-Malaysian clash with Chia and Soh in the next round. They achieved a straight-game victory over China's Huang Di and Liu Yang, while Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani also progressed after a challenging match against Scotland's Grimley brothers.

This upcoming matchup between Chia and Soh and Man and Tee promises to be intriguing, as both pairs have recently participated in Malaysia's doubles experiments. With Chia and Soh's established partnership and past success, they will look to leverage their experience against the confident newcomers.