KUALA LUMPUR — Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon and China’s Li Shifeng emerged as two of the biggest winners at the 2026 Malaysia Masters after capturing the women’s singles and men’s singles titles respectively in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
The tournament finale at Arena Unifi, Bukit Jalil also featured dramatic doubles battles, emotional reactions from Malaysian players, and another strong overall showing from China’s badminton squad.
Ratchanok Intanon Wins Malaysia Masters Title Again After Seven Years
Former world champion Ratchanok Intanon produced another vintage performance to win her third Malaysia Masters women’s singles crown.
The 31-year-old Thai star defeated China’s Chen Yufei 21-17, 21-15 in the final to secure her first Malaysia Masters title since back-to-back victories in 2018 and 2019.
The victory also ended Ratchanok’s four-match losing streak against Chen Yufei and improved her overall head-to-head record to 4-19 against the Chinese Olympic champion.
Ratchanok started the match aggressively and built an early 6-3 lead in the opening game. Although Chen fought back and managed to stay close for parts of the game, the Thai veteran remained composed to close out the opener 21-17.
In the second game, Ratchanok completely took control with a dominant 9-2 start that placed Chen under immediate pressure.
Despite several strong rallies from the Chinese star, Ratchanok’s attacking precision and court control proved too strong as she sealed the championship with a 21-15 victory.
For Chen Yufei, the defeat marked a second consecutive runner-up finish following her loss at last week’s Thailand Open.
Li Shifeng Successfully Defends Men’s Singles Crown
China’s Li Shifeng successfully defended his Malaysia Masters men’s singles title after beating Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul 21-16, 21-17 in the final.
The world No. 7 became the first men’s singles player since Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei to win consecutive Malaysia Masters titles.
Li controlled most of the match with his trademark patience, strong rally construction, and excellent defensive coverage.
Although Panitchaphon showed flashes of attacking quality throughout the final, Li consistently managed the pace of the rallies and forced the Thai player into difficult positions.
The victory also marked Li’s first title of the 2026 season and his first BWF World Tour title in eight months.
Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Finish as Runners-up
Malaysia’s hopes for a home title ended when independent pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani lost to Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard in the men’s doubles final.
The Danish pair claimed a straight-games 21-16, 21-17 victory to capture their first title together as a partnership.
The win also leveled the head-to-head record between the two pairs at 3-3.
After the match, Nur Izzuddin admitted the Danes executed their strategy extremely well from start to finish.
“I think they played very well today. They kept putting us under pressure throughout the entire match,” said Izzuddin.
“I also think they managed to read our tactical approach quite well, and we were slightly slow in adjusting our rhythm.”
Sze Fei pointed specifically to the service and return phases as areas requiring improvement.
“I think our serving and receiving areas need to become better,” he explained.
With the Singapore Open approaching quickly, the Malaysian pair admitted there is little time for major tactical changes.
Izzuddin revealed that recovery and mental preparation would now become their primary focus.
“For us now, recovery is the most important thing because we don’t have much time. We will focus more on physical and mental recovery,” he said.
The pair are also under pressure to improve their world ranking before the Olympic qualification period begins next year.
Currently ranked world No. 9, Sze Fei and Izzuddin trail fellow Malaysian pairs Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (world No. 2) and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (world No. 6).
However, Izzuddin emphasized that their focus remains on performances and titles rather than rankings alone.
“We are more focused on performing well and winning championships. The ranking will improve naturally if we keep doing that,” he added.
China Capture Third Title Through Gao Jia Xuan-Wei Ya Xin
China’s mixed doubles pair Gao Jia Xuan and Wei Ya Xin delivered another strong performance to win the mixed doubles title.
The Chinese pair defeated Thailand’s Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai 21-13, 15-21, 21-11 in a three-game final.
The victory marked their first title together as a partnership and secured China’s third championship of the tournament after earlier successes in men’s singles and women’s doubles.
Wei Ya Xin once again showcased her experience and attacking strength during key moments of the deciding game.
China’s Chen Fan Shu Tian/Luo Xu Min Claim Women’s Doubles Crown
In the women’s doubles final, China’s Chen Fan Shu Tian/Luo Xu Min beat Japan’s Sayaka Hirota/Ayako Sakuramoto 21-16, 25-23 in the final.
Strong Finish to Malaysia Masters 2026
The 2026 Malaysia Masters concluded with several memorable finals, emotional moments, and important ranking points ahead of the upcoming Singapore Open.
From Ratchanok Intanon’s emotional return to the top in Kuala Lumpur to Li Shifeng’s successful title defense, the tournament once again delivered world-class badminton action for fans across the globe.
