KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian badminton enjoyed a productive day at the India Open today, with all five of the nation’s doubles pairs triumphing in their quarterfinal matches to secure spots in the semifinals.
The victories marked a strong rebound for Malaysia’s representatives following mixed results at the Malaysia Open last week.
Among the standout performances at the Super 750 event, world number seven women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah delivered a stunning straight-game victory over Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto, the reigning Malaysia Open champions.
The Malaysians took 57 minutes to win 21-18, 21-19, a testament to their resilience after a disappointing first-round exit at their home tournament.
“We’re happy with today’s win because last week was disappointing,” said Pearly. “We just wanted to leave that in the past and come back fresh and new this week. Our coach reminded us to focus on our gameplay and strategy, and that really helped us regain our confidence.”
In the men’s doubles, world number five pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik showcased their mettle by dispatching Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Kittinupong Kedren 21-18, 21-18 in just 39 minutes.
Meanwhile, Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Goh Sze Fei continued their upward trajectory by defeating Taiwan’s siblings pair, Lee Fang Chih and Lee Fang Jen, 21-11, 21-17.
The victory came on the back of a remarkable rise in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings, where they climbed to world number two this week, overtaking compatriots Aaron and Wooi Yik.
“It was a tough week last week, but thanks to our coach and team for encouraging us to do our best,” said Sze Fei after the match. “Reaching the world number two ranking is amazing, but what matters more is continuing to improve our performance.”
Malaysia’s mixed doubles pairs also excelled. Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei secured their second consecutive semifinal appearance in a World Tour event, overcoming Thailand’s Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat 21-16, 21-17 in 43 minutes.
Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai mirrored their compatriots’ success, cruising past Taiwan’s Yang Po Hsuan and Hu Ling Fang 21-11, 21-15 in just 29 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.
Both mixed doubles pairs are making their presence felt early in the season, having reached the semifinals at the Malaysia Open just a week prior. — January 17, 2025