MALAYSIA OPEN: AGONY FOR WEI CHONG-KAI WUN

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- National men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun's hopes of saving the day for Malaysia were shattered when they crashed out of the 2025 Malaysia Open semi-finals here today.

With two Malaysian mixed doubles pairs – Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie – already eliminated from the last four earlier today, the country’s hopes rested on Wei Chong-Kai Wun’s shoulders.

However, the unseeded Malaysians failed to capitalise on their promising start despite beating China’s Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi 26-24 in a tightly contested opening game.

The Malaysian pair, ranked world number 14, lost their momentum in the second game, which the Chinese won 21-16 to drag the match into a rubber game.

In the decider, it was neck-and-neck with the score tied at 10-10, before world number 18 Bo Yang-Liu Yi raised the tempo to race to a 21-15 victory in a gripping 77-minute duel that left the home fans disappointed.

Kai Wun said they had given their all but unfortunately, they could not hold the first-game advantage against their opponents.

“Kita juga masuk mereka punya game yang lebih solid dan dari situ we can’t control the game,” he told reporters in a post-match interview.

Despite the loss, the 24-year-old shuttler said it was a good start to the season following their first-ever appearance at the Malaysia Open semi-finals.

In the final, Bo Yang-Liu Yi will meet South Korean scratch pair Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae, who upset the seventh seeds from India, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, 21-10, 21-15.

The last Malaysian to win the Malaysia Open was badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei in 2018 while Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah were the last Malaysian men’s doubles pair to taste glory in 2014.

In mixed doubles action earlier, third seeds Tang Jie-Ee Wei failed to upset the top seeds from China, Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, losing 19-21, 14-21 while husband and wife Soon Huat-Shevon went down to Thailand’s new combination Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran 21-17, 12-21, 16-21.

-- BERNAMA