Herry Needs Time To Boost Khai Xing-Aaron's Performance

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- New national men's doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi believes he will need time to elevate the performance of 2024 World Junior Badminton Championship (WJC) boys’ doubles champions Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai.

Following his initial assessment, Herry, better known as Herry IP, noted that the duo possesses commendable playing quality despite their recent second-round exit at the 2025 Thailand Masters.

“They are still young, and their progress has been promising. However, we will have to see how things unfold in the future,” he told reporters after officially beginning his tenure at the Malaysian Badminton Academy in Bukit Kiara yesterday.

Last Thursday, Khai Xing and Aaron’s hopes of advancing further in the Super 300 tournament at Bangkok’s Nimibutr Arena were dashed after they fell 21-19, 16-21, 14-21 to Indonesia’s Shohibul Fitri-Daniel Marthin in the second round.

Herry also refrained from making any predictions about the fate of the world No. 58 pair, acknowledging that only time will determine whether they will continue as partners.

In December last year, the talented duo ended Malaysia’s 13-year title drought in the boys’ doubles category at the WJC in Nanchang, China, by defeating home pair Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi 21-18, 15-21, 21-18.

Malaysia’s last triumph in the boys’ doubles at the WJC was in 2011, when Nelson Heg Wei Keat and Teo Ee Yi clinched the title.

Herry, who has been offered a four-year contract by BAM, is a renowned coach with a proven track record of shaping world-class Indonesian pairs.

Nicknamed the ‘Fire Dragon,’ Herry boasts an illustrious career that includes guiding Olympic champions Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan (Sydney 2000) as well as Hendra Setiawan and Markis Kido (Beijing 2008).

This marks the first time the 62-year-old coach has taken his expertise abroad after dedicating 31 years to the Indonesian badminton squad.

-- BERNAMA