PETALING JAYA: Just when Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were hoping to put their injury worries behind them, the Malaysian men’s doubles pair suffered another setback after Wooi Yik’s right heel problem resurfaced at the Japan Masters in Kumamoto on Tuesday (Nov 10).
The injury forced Aaron-Wooi Yik to retire from their opening round match against India’s Hariharan Amsakarunan-M. R. Arjun while trailing 6-11 in the first game at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.
Men’s doubles coach Chang Kim Wai, who is accompanying the pair in Japan, confirmed that it was the same injury Wooi Yik had suffered at the French Open last month.
“Wooi Yik had already suffered the injury during the French Open,” said Kim Wai when contacted.
The injury had earlier forced Wooi Yik to skip the Hylo Open and Korean Open to allow himself more time to recover after experiencing problems with his right heel at the French Open on Oct 20.
The latest setback could not have come at a worse time for Aaron-Wooi Yik, who are still fighting to secure their place in the season-ending World Tour Finals in Hangzhou next month.
The pair are scheduled to compete at the Hong Kong Open next week, but there is now uncertainty over whether Wooi Yik will be fit enough to play.
Kim Wai, however, was reluctant to speculate on their participation, saying they would need to assess Wooi Yik’s condition first.
“We need to see how his condition is first,” he added.
Aaron-Wooi Yik are currently sixth in the World Tour Finals qualification standings with 65,740 points, but they are far from assured of a place in Hangzhou.
Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard are breathing down their necks in seventh place with 65,610 points, followed closely by Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman-Moh Reza in eighth with 65,550.
China’s Chen Boyang-Liu Yi are also in the hunt, sitting ninth with 64,200 points.
Only the top eight pairs in the World Tour standings will qualify for the season-ending tournament.
