Japan Open

KUALA LUMPUR — National men’s top pair, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, displayed tremendous fighting spirit over 59 minutes to defeat Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and advance to the semi-finals of the 2025 Japan Open Badminton Championships at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

In today’s intense quarter-final, world number one Sze Fei-Izzuddin clinched a 21-13, 17-21, 22-20 victory in their first-ever meeting against the Indonesian duo.

They are scheduled to face Taiwan’s Liu Kuang Heng-Yang Po Han next for a place in the final. The Malaysians had beaten Kuang Heng-Po Han at the same tournament last year.

Earlier, Kuang Heng-Po Han overcame another Malaysian pair, Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong, with an 18-21, 25-23, 21-17 win.

Another Malaysian men’s pair, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, also pulled off an upset by defeating the tournament’s fifth seeds from China, Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang, 25-23, 21-19 in just 41 minutes.

Yew Sin-Ee Yi will next take on South Korea’s Kim Won Ho-Seo Seong Jae, who earlier eliminated another Malaysian pair, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, 21-13, 18-21, 21-13.

In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah continued their fine momentum by beating South Korea’s Jeong Na Eun-Lee Yeon Woo 21-15, 21-19 — their third win over the same pair.

The tournament’s third seeds now face a daunting task in the semi-finals against home favourites Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida, who have defeated them in 13 of their 14 past encounters.

Meanwhile, national mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei advanced to the semi-finals with a convincing 21-14, 21-12 win over Japan’s Yuichi Shimogami-Sayaka Hobara in 32 minutes.

Fourth-seeded Tang Jie-Ee Wei will next face China’s world number two duo, Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin, who eliminated Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 21-13, 23-21.

This will be the fourth meeting between the two pairs, with Tang Jie-Ee Wei having lost their most recent clash in the quarter-finals of the same tournament in 2024. — BERNAMA