KUALA LUMPUR – Rumours of Soh Wooi Yik leaving the national squad to turn professional have been firmly dismissed by national men’s doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi.
Speculation arose after the world-class shuttler updated his Instagram profile to describe himself as a “pro badminton player,” sparking widespread interest among fans online.
“Wooi Yik is not leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Perhaps this is just the opinion of some badminton enthusiasts,” Herry told reporters at a press conference today, putting the rumours to rest.
Herry emphasised that the world No. 2 pairing of Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik are fully focused on defending their title at the Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) in Ningbo, China, scheduled from April 7 to 12.
Seeded second, the Malaysian duo face a tough path from the opening round, where they will take on Taiwan’s world No. 12 pair, Chia Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi Lin.
If they progress, a second-round clash could see them face China’s rising duo, Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi, followed by a potential quarter-final against either Japan’s world No. 8 pair, Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, or Indonesia’s world No. 13 duo, Raymond Indra and Nikolaus Joaquin.
A semi-final showdown may pit Aaron and Wooi Yik against India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty or Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Shohibul Fikri, with a possible blockbuster final against South Korea’s top pair, Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
The Malaysians came close to beating the Koreans earlier this year, losing in thrilling three-game finals at both the Malaysia Open in January and the All England Championships in March.
“My hope is to see them meet the Koreans again in the final. To win, we must play aggressively. If we are defensive, we simply cannot match their level,” said Herry, underlining the need for an attacking approach to secure the title. – March 26, 2026