KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- What could have been a perfect shot execution plan fell short, as national men’s doubles pair Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King bowed out in the Orleans Masters 2025 semi-finals, in France, on Saturday.
Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) coaching director Rexy Mainaky said that their eagerness to execute the perfect shot ended up costing them, as the unseeded duo fell to China's top-seeded pair, Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang, 14-21, 13-21, in the Super 300 tournament at Palais des Sports, Orleans.
“From the first round to the quarter-finals, I was satisfied with their performance, but the Chinese pair (Wei Keng-Wang Chang) aimed for perfection in every shot.
“Wan Arif and Roy King, on the other hand, put too much pressure on themselves, forcing their shots and making too many errors," he told Bernama, when contacted.
The defeat dashed their hopes of winning their maiden World Tour title, following their runner-up finish in the Spain Masters 2024 in Madrid.
Their exit also marked the first time in three years that Malaysia will be without a champion at the Orleans Masters.
In 2023, national top mixed doubles pair, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, clinched the title, while Choong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri secured the men’s doubles crown last year.
Despite the disappointing result, Rexy remains hopeful that Wan Arif-Roy King will rebound with a strong performance in their All England debut, as the 2025 edition is set to kick off this Tuesday, until March 16.
The world number 18 pair will open their campaign in the world’s oldest badminton tournament, at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, United Kingdom, against Huang Di-Liu Yang of China.
The Malaysians have the upper hand against the Chinese duo in Birmingham, as they had beaten their opponents in their first and only meeting, at the Ruichang China Masters 2023, 21-16, 16-21, 21-14.
Based on the All England 2025 draw, Wan Arif-Roy King could face Wei Keng-Wang Chang again, if both pairs advance to the second round.
“There is nothing to lose in All England. Harap dapat jumpa lagi (Wei Keng-Wang Chang),” Rexy said.
Wei Keng-Wang Chang, seeded third in All England 2025, will take on Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani.
-- BERNAMA
