Malaysia made a strong start in the men's doubles at the French Open, with four pairs advancing to the second round, led by world No. 4 Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.

Fresh from finishing runners-up at the Denmark Open, Chia and Soh continued their push for a first title of the season by defeating China's He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu 21-15, 21-19 in 37 minutes at Arena Grand Paris.

The Malaysian pair handled the challenge well against the Chinese duo, who have played key roles in China's Thomas Cup triumphs. The victory also improved Chia and Soh's head-to-head record against He and Ren to 3-2.

Despite reaching three World Tour finals this season without winning a title, the former world champions remain determined to end their trophy drought. They will next face Thailand's Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul, whom they defeated at the World Championships in August.

Source: NST

Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun also booked their place in the second round after recovering from a game down to beat Japan's Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi 18-21, 21-15, 21-17 in 55 minutes.

The Malaysians bounced back strongly after their early exit at the Denmark Open, but face a tougher test against eighth seeds Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi in the next round. A win could set up a potential all-Malaysian quarter-final against Chia and Soh, provided the latter also progress.

Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin added to Malaysia's positive start by advancing to the second round, where they will meet Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard.

Arctic Open champions Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King also progressed, but face a formidable challenge against South Korean world No. 1 pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.

However, it was not a perfect opening day for Malaysia, as independent pair Chia Wei Jie and Teo Ee Yi were eliminated after losing to China's Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi.

With four pairs through to the next round, Malaysia has a solid presence in the men's doubles draw. Chia and Soh will be among the leading contenders, but the progress of their teammates offers further opportunities for the country to challenge for honours.

The next round will provide a clearer picture of Malaysia's chances, with several difficult matchups awaiting the national representatives. For Chia and Soh in particular, the priority remains turning their recent consistency into a tournament title.