After playing in a whopping 24 events last year, Aaron Chia was grateful to have a short vacation to Hong Kong with his family before the national men’s doubles ace prepares to take the Malaysia Open by storm.

Chia took his wife and two daughters to Disneyland among other places,  a break that was absolutely necessary before he and partner Soh Wooi Yik prepare to tackle their first assignment at the Axiata Arena next week.

“It was a refreshing three day break for me to rejuvenate and relax after playing in back-to-back tournaments. Now we prepare for a good start in the first tournament of the year.

“It is important for us to perform well on our home ground,” he said.

Seeded third at the Malaysia Open, Chia-Soh will take on Danish pair Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard in the opening round.

The Malaysians are looking for a much improved performance this year, having crashed out in the second round last year.

Touted as one of the brightest Malaysian prospects to clinch gold at the Paris Olympics this July, Chia felt there is always going to be hefty on the pair in every event.

He chose not to mention any target set for next week’s event, instead quipped “We’ll just let those out there give their comments.”

Meanwhile Ong Yew Sin was optimistic of Teo Ee Yi’s recovery from a knee injury as the pair prepare to face Chinese Taipei’s Lu Ching-yao-Yang Po-han in the first round of the Malaysia Open.

“We will be ready for the tournament. The men’s doubles affair is an unpredictable one and we will take each match as it comes,” Ong said.

Besides Chia-Soh and Ong-Teo, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin will be the other two pairs who will feature next week.

For the record, there has not been a Malaysian men’s doubles champion in this tournament since Goh V Shem-Lim Kim Wah won it a decade ago.