KUALA LUMPUR: Being one of two nations with four seeded pairs in the men's doubles draw, Malaysia will go into the World Championships thinking they can win the crown.
Based on the draw, however, it looks bleak for Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong in Tokyo from Aug 22-28.
Sixth seeds Aaron-Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin (11th) and V Shem-Wee Kiong (13th) are drawn in the intimidating bottom half of the draw alongside Japan's defending champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, Taiwan's Olympic gold medallists Lee Yang-Wang Chi Lin and Commonwealth Games winners Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty of India.
They also have All England champions Shobihul Fikri-Bagas Maulana of Indonesia in the same half.
Aaron-Wooi Yik and Sze Fei-Izzuddin will likely battle in the last 16, with the winners facing Lee Yang-Chi Lin in the quarter-finals.
Aaron-Wooi Yik face a tricky second round against Taiwan's world No 24 Lu Ching Yao-Yang Po Han, while Izzuddin-Sze Fei take on Ireland's Joshua Magee-Paul Reynolds.
Rio Olympic silver medallists V Shem-Wee Kiong, who will play Denmark's Jeppe Bay-Lasse Molhede in the first round, will likely face Satwiksairaj-Chirag in the last 16.
All eyes will be on Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, the ninth seeds, as they were the bronze medallists at last year's edition.
The pair are drawn to face Denmark's Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen and three-time champions Mohammad Ahsan-Hendrawan of Indonesia in the last 16 and quarter-finals.
For the record, Malaysian pairs have won medals 14 times (four silver and 10 bronze) in the world meet.
In the mixed doubles, Malaysia are represented by Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei.
