KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 7 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik survived a scare before reaching the second round of the Super 300 Korea Masters in Iksan City today.
Aaron-Wooi Yik, the bronze medallists at the Paris Olympics in August, fought back from a slow start to secure a 12-21, 21-18, 21-17 win over world No. 189 Chiang Chien Wei-Wei Chun Wei of Taiwan.
The top-seeded Malaysian pair are aiming for their first World Tour title of the year to keep alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the World Tour Finals (WTF) in Hangzhou on Dec 11-15.
However, that chance was nearly dashed by Chien Wei-Chun Wei, who are playing in only their fourth tournament together.
Aaron-Wooi Yik have struggled since winning their second Olympic bronze in Paris, as the latter's toe surgery sidelined the pair for two months.
They returned to action last month, but fell in the second round of the Super 500 Arctic Open and the quarter-finals of the Super 750 Denmark Open.
Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for world No. 19 Choong Hon Jian-Haikal Nazri, who lost 21-11, 10-21, 21-17 to Taiwan's Lu Chen Po-Li Wei.
Independent duo Goh V Shem-Boon Xin Yuan also exited in the first round, losing 17-21, 22-20, 21-11 to South Koreans Na Sung Seung-Shin Tae Yang.