KUALA LUMPUR – The badminton season kicked off in full throttle with the exhilarating Super 1000 Malaysia Open held at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil from January 9-14.
As the players dive into this year’s series of tournaments, including the Malaysia Open, the stakes are higher than ever. The race to accumulate crucial points intensifies as shuttlers aim to secure a spot at the Paris Olympic Games taking place in July.
Regrettably, mirroring last year’s outcome, no local shuttlers managed to break into the semi-finals.
Despite this, fans were treated to historic moments that added a unique flavour to the tournament.
Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino etched their names in history as the first Japanese mixed doubles pair to conquer the Malaysia Open. Similarly, South Korea’s An Se-young made history by becoming the first South Korean women’s singles player to seize the prestigious title.
The women’s doubles category witnessed a dominant performance from Chinese duo Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, securing their fifth World Tour title together.
Denmark’s Anders Antonsen celebrated a significant milestone, clinching his first Super 1000 title and expressing his excitement at celebrating the victory with his favourite food.
China’s men’s doubles pairing, Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang achieved their second Super 1000 victory after triumphing at the China Open last year.
Scoop photojournalists Alif Omar, Abdul Razak Latif and Azim Rahman captured the vibrant atmosphere within the indoor stadium, and while local shuttlers fell short, there’s optimism and encouragement for them to continue striving and excelling in future tournaments.
The stage is set for an exciting badminton season, promising more thrills and triumphs on the global stage. – January 18, 2024