Malaysia’s rising men’s doubles pair Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing booked their place in the Indonesia Open second round after India’s world No. 4 duo Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy retired with injury.
The world No. 23 Malaysians were leading 11-6 in the opening game when Chirag signalled that he was struggling with a right shoulder problem, forcing the match to end prematurely and sending Aaron-Khai Xing through.
The result continued Aaron-Khai Xing’s impressive record against the Indian pair. The Malaysians had stunned Chirag-Satwik in the first round of the All England in March before the Indians gained revenge at last week’s Malaysia Masters.
Aaron-Khai Xing will now face another Indian combination, Hariharan Amsakarunan-Arjun Madathil Ramakrishnan, for a place in the quarter-finals.
They joined fellow Malaysians Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the last 16, while Malaysia were assured of another men’s doubles pair in the second round with Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik set to face Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King in an all-Malaysian opener later in the day.
