The Olympic bronze medallist, who lost to their lower-ranked opponents in the first round of the Hong Kong Open last week, battled for 71 minutes to book a quarter-final berth.

The world No 2 pair defeated the 14th-ranked English pair 14-21, 21-15, 25-23, providing relief to the Malaysian coaching team, which had voiced concern over their dip in form in recent tournaments.

Aaron-Wooi Yik, who have won a personal-best three titles this year, are part of the youth and sports ministry’s RM20 million Road to Gold project aimed at winning a gold medal at the 2028 Olympic Games in the US.

Last week, national men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi expressed concern over their alarming slump in form after their first-round exit in Hong Kong.

The pair also fell at the opening hurdle of the Orleans Masters, All England, Indonesia Open and Japan Open.

Separately, in another mixed doubles second round match, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin gave China’s world No 1 pair Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping a run for their money by winning the opening game, but ultimately lost 21-16, 7-21, 10-21 in a 58-minute match.

Yan Zhe-Dong Ping will meet their compatriots Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui or Indonesia’s Amri Syahnawi-Nita Violina Marwah in the quarter-final.

In another men’s doubles match, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun failed to set up an all-Malaysian quarter-final when they lost to Indonesian pair Leo Rolly Carnando-Bagus Maulana 10-21, 23-21, 14-21.

The world No 16 Indonesian pair will meet Aaron-Wooi Yik in the quarter-finals tomorrow.

In the women’s doubles, world No 2 Pearly Tan-M Thinaah defeated US’s Francesca Corbett-Jennie Gai 21-11, 21-8 in just 28 minutes to book a quarter-final berth.

However, the victory is nothing to shout about as the Americans are ranked far below the Malaysian pair at No 67.

Pearly-Thinaah will meet South Koren pair Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee who defeated Malaysia’s Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting.