KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian badminton fans are guaranteed at least one home representative in the men’s doubles final of the 2026 Malaysia Masters after both Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani advanced to the semi-finals on Friday.
The exciting all-Malaysian showdown now sets up a blockbuster semi-final clash between two of the country’s strongest men’s doubles pairs at Arena Unifi, Bukit Jalil.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Continue Strong Run
World No. 2 pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik booked their place in the final four after defeating China’s Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi 21-15, 21-16 in just 34 minutes.
The victory marked their second consecutive win over the Chinese pair after also overcoming them at the Badminton Asia Championships earlier this year.
Aaron and Wooi Yik controlled most of the match with sharp attacking play and solid defense, rarely allowing the world No. 34 Chinese duo to build momentum.
The Malaysian pair now move one step closer to another home final appearance after finishing runners-up in last year’s edition.
All-Malaysian Semi-final Confirmed
Awaiting Aaron and Wooi Yik in the semi-finals are fellow Malaysians Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, who battled past Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi 21-17, 16-21, 21-16.
The clash guarantees Malaysia a place in Sunday’s men’s doubles final and continues the country’s strong tradition in the doubles discipline.
Historically, Aaron-Wooi Yik hold the advantage after winning six of their previous eight meetings against Sze Fei-Izzuddin.
However, the most recent meeting between the two pairs saw Sze Fei and Izzuddin emerge victorious in the semi-finals of the 2024 Badminton Asia Championships.
Aaron expects another intense battle despite being pleased that Malaysia has already secured a finalist.
“It will definitely be another difficult match tomorrow. But the important thing is that Malaysia already has one men’s doubles pair in the final,” said Aaron after the match.
Wooi Yik believes the contest may ultimately come down to composure and mental strength.
“I think both pairs are very close in terms of playing level and style. At this stage, it’s about who stays calmer and controls the situation better on court,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Izzuddin also expects another physically demanding encounter.
“No matter who we play, it will always be a very difficult match. We just want to focus on ourselves, prepare properly, recover well, eat well, and rest enough,” said Izzuddin.
Sze Fei and Izzuddin are also chasing their second title of the season after winning the Indonesia Masters earlier this year.
Potential All-Malaysian Final Still Possible
Malaysia could even produce an all-Malaysian final for the second consecutive year if Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Yap Roy King defeat Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard in the other semi-final.
Aaron admitted he hopes Malaysian badminton fans can witness another historic all-local final.
“I hope Wan Arif and Roy King can win tomorrow so we can have another all-Malaysian final like last year,” he said.
Disappointment for Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei
Earlier in the day, Malaysia’s mixed doubles hopes suffered a setback after world No. 4 pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
The Malaysian duo lost 18-21, 16-21 to China’s newly formed partnership Gao Jia Xuan and Wei Ya Xin in 44 minutes.
Tang Jie and Ee Wei started strongly in the opening game and frequently held the lead before the momentum shifted after the score reached 15-15.
The Chinese pair grew more aggressive and composed in the closing stages to take the first game 21-18.
A similar pattern unfolded in the second game, where the Malaysians led 7-4 before Gao and Wei fought back to level at 12-12.
The Chinese pair then dominated the final stretch with sharper attacking play to seal the match and advance to the semi-finals.
Gao Jia Xuan and Wei Ya Xin only began partnering together at last week’s Thailand Open as China continues experimenting with new combinations on the international circuit.
Wei Ya Xin is also currently ranked world No. 2 with her regular mixed doubles partner Jiang Zhen Bang.
The defeat means Tang Jie and Ee Wei were unable to repeat their best Malaysia Masters performance after reaching the semi-finals in 2024.
Last year, the pair competed with different partners following internal conflicts that temporarily split the partnership.
Tang Jie partnered Chan Wen Tse but lost in the opening round, while Ee Wei and Loo Bing Kun managed to reach the second round.
Malaysia’s Men’s Doubles Depth Continues to Shine
Despite the mixed doubles disappointment, Malaysia’s impressive strength in men’s doubles continues to stand out at the Malaysia Masters 2026.
With Aaron-Wooi Yik, Sze Fei-Izzuddin, and Wan Arif-Roy King all making deep runs, Malaysian badminton supporters still have strong hopes of celebrating another successful home tournament.
