KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (Bernama) -- Money matters, indeed.
With the Malaysia Masters 2025 next month offering increased total prize money - from US$420,000 (about RM1.85 million) to US$475,500 (about RM2.10 million) - expect newly-crowned Badminton Asia Championships 2025 men’s doubles champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to play with an extra spring in their steps.
It has also spurred them to try and reach the final of the Malaysia Masters for the first time.
“We are excited to compete on home soil and see many familiar faces again. We hope to reach the final and. ultimately, grab the winner's purse,” he said at the Malaysia Masters 2025 press conference here today.
The best they have done at the Malaysia Masters was to reach the semi-finals in the 2019 and 2022 editions.
Meanwhile, rising national mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin also hope to produce good results at the Super 500 tournament at the Axiata Arena here on May 20-25.
Pang Ron said that, more importantly, they need to keep their cool if they are to do better after what has been an underwhelming start to their 2025 season.
The world number 14 pair have only managed to reach the quarter-finals twice out of the eight tournaments they've competed in this year.
Meanwhile, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have extended their gratitude to Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) for being the title sponsor of the tournament for the seventh edition.
BAM acting president Datuk V. Subramaniam said that Perodua's continued support has been instrumental in the tournament’s elevation to Super 500 status.
Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said they were honoured to be part of the tournament, which has become a key fixture in Malaysia’s badminton calendar.
Tickets for the Malaysia Masters 2025 can be purchased on Friday (April 18) at www.ticket2u.com.my.
-- BERNAMA
