Injuries threaten Aaron-Wooi Yik's Olympic ambitions

KUALA LUMPUR: National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky fears injuries could derail Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik's preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as the pair struggle to regain full fitness.

The former world champions have been troubled by injuries since reuniting at the French Open, with Wooi Yik nursing a foot problem and Aaron believed to be struggling with his shoulder.

Rexy said the situation was worrying, especially with Olympic qualification set to begin next year.

"What worries me most about players at their age is injuries. We hope Wooi Yik's injury is not too serious, especially with Olympic qualification starting next year," said Rexy.

"We need to pay more attention to how we manage injuries, particularly for experienced players like Aaron and Wooi Yik."

The world No. 4 pair had retired from their quarter-final clash at the French Open against Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun after just three minutes on court.

They skipped the Hylo and Korea Opens to give Wooi Yik's heel time to heal.

However, the pair retired from their first-round match at the Kumamoto Masters after trailing 11-6 to Indian pair Hariharan Amsakarunan-M. R. Arjun.

Rexy said Aaron's shoulder problem could have contributed to their decision to retire from the match in Japan.

However, he has yet to establish whether Aaron's shoulder or Wooi Yik's foot injury was the primary reason for the withdrawal.

Rexy said he would consult a physiotherapist from the National Sports Institute (NSI) to assess Wooi Yik's recovery and determine the severity of his condition.

He is particularly concerned that playing through the pain could aggravate the injury and affect the pair's long-term prospects.

"If Wooi Yik is still feeling pain, I am worried that playing in tournaments like Kumamoto and Hong Kong could make the injury worse," he said.

The injury setbacks have also dealt a blow to Aaron-Wooi Yik's hopes of qualifying for the season-ending World Tour Finals.

The Malaysians face pressure from Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard, who were immediately below them in the Race to Finals standings.

As of writing, the Danes are in ninth, just 1,130 points behind Aaron-Wooi Yik, who occupy the last qualifying spot.

With the Danes still going strong at the Kumamoto Masters, they are likely to overtake the Malaysians when the rankings are updated next week.

Rexy admitted Aaron-Wooi Yik's qualification chances are now extremely slim, although he hopes they can recover in time for next week's Hong Kong Open.

"Looking at their chances of reaching the World Tour Finals, they are very slim for Aaron and Wooi Yik," said Rexy.

"Hopefully, they can perform better in Hong Kong, but the first step is making sure they can play."

Despite the uncertainty, Rexy believes Malaysia still have sufficient depth in men's doubles to mount a strong challenge for Olympic qualification.

He pointed to Aaron-Wooi Yik and Wei Chong-Kai Wun in the national setup, as well as the independent pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.

Emerging youngsters Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King are also showing promise.

"We hope Aaron Tai (and Roy King) can continue to be consistent. If they maintain that positive consistency, I believe they will have a chance," said Rexy.

However, the Indonesian stressed that Aaron-Wooi Yik's Olympic prospects ultimately depend on their ability to stay healthy and deliver consistent performances when qualification begins.