KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani capped off a remarkable season by becoming the first Malaysian men’s doubles pair to reach the World Tour Finals final since the tournament’s inception in 2018, a feat that underscores their growing stature on the global stage.
The world number seven duo, who are set to overtake Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik as Malaysia’s top-ranked men’s pair, displayed incredible tenacity before falling 21-17, 17-21, 21-11 to Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the championship match at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre.
“We exceeded our expectations by coming this far and to achieve this breakthrough, we are very happy. A shout out to our team and also the fans for pushing us to achieve these milestones,” Sze Fei told the Badminton World Federation.
Their achievement comes just hours after mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei’s historic run, signifying a bright future for Malaysia’s next generation of shuttlers.
Despite the disappointment, Sze Fei and Izzuddin can take pride in their outstanding season, particularly since turning professional in September.
This season alone, the duo captured three major titles – the Japan Open, China Open, and Arctic Open – from five final appearances, including the World Tour Finals.
On their match against the Danes, who also defeated them in the group stages earlier in the week, Izzuddin added, “They made things difficult for us, especially our rotation. Tactically they were very good.”
Adding to their accolades, they became the first Malaysian men’s doubles pair to complete the full collection of World Tour titles, from Super 100 to Super 1000 events, further solidifying their place among the sport’s rising stars.
To sum up their impressive season, Izzuddin gave him and Sze Fei a 10 out of 10 rating.
“This season has been really good for us; we’ve achieved what we couldn’t before. Hopefully, we will continue to produce better results in the coming year.”
Though they fell short of lifting the trophy, Sze Fei and Izzuddin’s journey in Hangzhou serves as a testament to their consistency and resilience, offering hope for even greater achievements in the future.
As they look ahead to a new season filled with opportunities like the World Championships and Asian Games, the pair is poised to elevate their game and make an even stronger mark on the international stage.
Separately, Sze Fei noted that there is still room for improvement to become a more complete pair.
“We need to communicate better, work on our consistency and try to be more complete,” he said. — December 15, 2024