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Both pairs were initially equally matched, tied at 5-5, but world No 3 Aaron-Wooi Yik failed to maintain their consistency, allowing the Japanese pair to romp home 21-16 in the first game.
Undaunted, the Malaysians bounced back to overcome the world No 7 Japanese pair 21-14 in the second game and force a decider.
Although Aaron-Wooi Yik found themselves trailing 8-11 in the rubber game, they slowly managed to level the score at 15-15.
However, just as in the first game, their consistency disappeared, and with it their hope for victory as the Japanese pair stormed to a 21-18 victory after a 62-minute battle.
Malaysia has no representatives in the men’s and women’s singles and women’s doubles categories at this season-ending tournament after all the national players failed to finish in the top eight of the Race to BWF World Tour Finals 2023.
Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair of Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei will be in action tonight when they take on world No 4 Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping of China in a Group A match.
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