KUALA LUMPUR: It's rare to see two former men's doubles world champions pitted against each other so early in a Super 300 event, but the second round battle between Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and South Korea's Ko Sung Hyun-Shin Baek Cheol is set to light up the Korea Masters in Iksan City tomorrow.
World No. 6 Aaron-Wooi Yik, the 2022 world champions, will play South Korea's 2014 world titlists Sung Hyun-Baek Cheol for a place in the last eight.
The top eight pairs normally skip Super 300 events and focus on Super 500 to Super 1000 events on the World Tour as they offer better prize money and world ranking points.
Aaron-Wooi Yik are playing in the event to overcome their rustiness after just competing in two tournaments - the Arctic and Denmark Opens in Finland - since the Paris Olympics in August.
It is also a move to regain confidence by winning their first international title this year, but facing an experienced pair like Sung Hyun-Baek Cheol would be tricky.
Their only previous clash was during the 2021 French Open semi-finals which ended in favour of Sung Hyun-Baek Cheol. The Koreans went on to win the Super 750 title.
Although this is only the second tournament for the semi-retired Sung Hyun, 37, and Baek Cheol, 35, they would still pose a big threat to Aaron-Wooi Yik.
On Tuesday, the Malaysians had to come from behind to beat Taiwan's unheralded World No. 189 Chiang Chien Wei-Wei Chun in three games in the first round while 248th-ranked Sung Hyun-Baek Cheol defeated another Taiwanese pair, Wu Hsun Yi-Ye Hong Wei 21-16, 21-19.
National doubles coach Tan Bin Shen said: "They need to be well prepared to give their best for the match."
Also through to the second round were independent pair Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong who defeated Cho Song Hyun-Jin Sung Yik of South Korea 17-21, 21-18, 21-19.
In the mixed doubles, independents Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien fell in the first round after losing 21-14, 21-15 to Koreans Lee Sang Won-Kim Bo Ryeong.
Another independent pair, Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, lost to Lee Jhe Huei-Yang Po Hsuan 15-21, 21-18, 21-15.
National discard Kok Jing Hong advanced to the second round in the men's singles after beating Do Dong Wook of South Korea 21-12, 21-18.
However, it was the end of the road for national shuttler Justin Hoh who lost 21-18, 21-17 to Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand in his opening round.