Chia-Soh fail to meet Malaysia Masters target, coach points to emotional struggles

Malaysian top doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik have fallen short of their target at the Malaysia Masters 2026, being eliminated in the semifinals. This outcome did not meet the expectations set by head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi, who had aimed for them to replicate their previous year's success.

"We have to accept it, they failed. The result was not good; last year's result was better because we reached the final and it was Malaysia versus Malaysia," Pierngadi commented to reporters. He contrasted their performance with that of emerging pair Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King, noting that while they also lost, their game showed improvement and promise compared to the previous year.

Chia and Soh, currently ranked world No. 2, lost to fellow Malaysians Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani in a closely contested semifinal. Pierngadi identified a lack of emotional control and excessive desire to win as key factors in their defeat. He observed that Chia appeared visibly frustrated, even slamming his racket on the court.

"Everything was off, from the returns, everything. I saw Aaron-Wooi Yik were a bit nervous, and the strong desire to win backfired," Pierngadi explained. "You could see the emotions; Aaron even slammed his racket onto the court surface. Sze Fei-Izzuddin, on the other hand, played very well. They were more in control, more enjoyable to watch, and could retrieve all the shots, while Aaron-Wooi Yik made many mistakes."

Looking ahead to the Singapore Open and Indonesia Open, Pierngadi remains optimistic about the potential for Malaysian players to secure titles, citing the highly competitive nature of men's doubles. He believes that any pair capitalizing on opportunities and maintaining good physical condition has a chance to win.