Appearing to lack their killer instinct, Aaron-Wooi Yik lost 16-21, 18-21 to Lee Fang Chih-Lee Fang Jen as their opponents returned all that the Malaysians were throwing at them.

After losing the first game quite easily, the Malaysians attempted a comeback in the second game, but despite the home fans cheering them on, they succumbed eventually in 47 minutes.

For the two-time Olympic bronze medallists and 2022 world champions, their dream of winning a title on home soil continues to be elusive.

They also won the Denmark Open in 2023 and the Korea Open last year.

In another second-round match, national women’s doubles shuttlers Vivien Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien found China’s world No 1 pair Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning too strong to handle.

The world No 43 pair were thrashed by the top seeds 21-6, 21-5 in a match that lasted only 30 minutes.

Another disappointment followed for Malaysia when world No 32 pair Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong lost to the Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty without much of a fight in their first encounter.

The world No 9 pair took 42 minutes to win 21-15, 21-15, much to the disappointment of the home crowd who expected more from the Malaysians after their superb win against a Chinese pair in the opener yesterday.