Shenzhen, China: Malaysia’s experimental men’s doubles combination Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Tai continued their impressive run at the 2026 China Masters on Thursday, while women’s singles world No. 1 An Se Young stretched her remarkable winning streak to 30 matches.
The BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament also produced another major upset as newly crowned men’s singles world No. 1 Jonatan Christie was eliminated by Hong Kong youngster Jason Gunawan.
Malaysia enjoyed a productive day in doubles, with Soh-Aaron, Tee Kai Wun-Yap Roy King, Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong, Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing and Goh Soon Huat-Lai Shevon Jemie all advancing to the quarterfinals.
However, Malaysia’s women’s doubles campaign came to an end after both Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan and Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah were eliminated in the second round.
Soh Wooi Yik-Aaron Tai Beat World No. 10 Chen Boyang-Liu Yi
Watch highlights of Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Tai vs. Chen Boyang and Liu Yi in the 2026 China Masters Round of 16:
Soh and Aaron delivered another encouraging performance in only their first tournament together.
The Malaysian pair needed just 40 minutes to defeat China’s world No. 10 Chen Boyang and Liu Yi 21-13, 21-18 in the round of 16.
It was their second consecutive victory in Shenzhen after recovering from a game down to defeat Japan’s Hiroki Okamura and Kyohei Yamashita 18-21, 21-12, 21-15 in the opening round.
The straight-games win over a top-10 Chinese combination provided another strong indication that the newly created Malaysian partnership could be competitive at the highest level of international badminton.
19-Year-Old Aaron Tai Continues to Impress
Much of the attention is falling on 19-year-old Aaron Tai, who continues to show his potential when paired with Malaysia’s more experienced former world champions.
At the Taipei Open last month, Aaron partnered Aaron Chia and reached the men’s doubles final.
He is now enjoying another strong tournament alongside Soh Wooi Yik, giving Malaysia’s coaching team more evidence of his ability to compete with established international combinations.
Soh and Aaron will face another Chinese pair, Ren Xiang Yu and He Ji Ting, in the quarterfinals after the home combination won an all-Chinese encounter against Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi.
Tee Kai Wun-Yap Roy King Also Reach Quarterfinals
Malaysia’s other experimental men’s doubles combination Tee Kai Wun and Yap Roy King also advanced in straight games.
They defeated Indonesia’s world No. 30 Ali Faathir Rayhan and Devin Artha Wahyudi 21-16, 21-19.
Tee and Yap will next meet Japan’s Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami for a place in the semifinals.
The result means two of Malaysia’s newly tested men’s doubles combinations have successfully reached the last eight of the Super 750 event.
Nur Azriyn-Tan Wee Kiong Win All-Malaysian Battle
Independent pair Nur Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong also booked their quarterfinal place after surviving a three-game battle against compatriots Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi.
Nur Azriyn and Tan prevailed 21-18, 16-21, 21-17 to win the all-Malaysian encounter.
The result continued an encouraging tournament for the experienced Tan and his partner after they had earlier eliminated Malaysia’s experimental combination Aaron Chia and Man Wei Chong.
Pearly Tan-Thinaah Lose Again to Aimsaard Sisters
Malaysia’s women’s doubles campaign ended on a disappointing note, beginning with Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan’s narrow defeat against Thailand’s Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard.
After receiving a first-round bye, Pearly and Thinaah were pushed into a 67-minute battle before losing 16-21, 21-17, 19-21.
The defeat was particularly frustrating because it marked their second consecutive loss to the Thai sisters.
Benyapa and Nuntakarn had also defeated the Malaysians at the Singapore Open in May.
The career head-to-head between the pairs is now level at 2-2.
Pearly and Thinaah won their first two meetings at the 2021 Thailand Open and 2023 Hong Kong Open, but the Thai sisters have now taken the two most recent encounters.
Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Fall to Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian
Malaysia’s younger combination Low Zi Yu and Noraqilah Maisarah also saw their campaign end in the second round.
They faced China’s world No. 4 pair Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian and were beaten 21-13, 21-16 in 39 minutes.
The match provided the Malaysian youngsters with valuable experience against one of the strongest women’s doubles combinations in world badminton.
With both Malaysian pairs eliminated, the country no longer has a representative in the China Masters women’s doubles draw.
Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing Continue Giant-Killing Run
One of Malaysia’s best stories in Shenzhen has been the unexpected run of Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing.
The independent mixed doubles pair entered the tournament ranked only world No. 85, but they have now eliminated two considerably higher-ranked opponents.
After defeating Hong Kong’s world No. 25 Chan Yin Chak and Ng Tsz Yau in three games in the opening round, Hoo and Lai stunned China’s sixth seeds and world No. 9 Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi 24-22, 21-19.
The straight-games victory sent the Malaysians into the quarterfinals of the Super 750 tournament.
Their next opponents will be Chinese Taipei’s world No. 48 Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin-Hui.
Liu and Hsu have already produced one of the tournament’s biggest surprises, eliminating newly crowned French world champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue in the first round.
Goh Soon Huat-Lai Shevon Jemie Reach Last Eight
Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie also kept Malaysia’s mixed doubles challenge alive.
The world No. 11 husband-and-wife combination defeated Japan’s Akira Koga and Natsu Saito 21-14, 19-21, 21-10.
Seeded eighth in Shenzhen, Goh and Lai will next face China’s Gao Jia Xuan and Wu Meng Ying.
The Chinese pair reached the quarterfinals after winning a three-game all-Chinese clash against third seeds Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin.
An Se Young Extends Winning Streak to 30 Matches
In women’s singles, world No. 1 An Se Young continued her extraordinary season with another dominant performance.
The top seed and two-time defending China Masters champion defeated China’s Han Qian Xi 21-14, 21-7 to reach the quarterfinals.
An has now won 30 consecutive matches since finishing runner-up at the All England in March.
Her 2026 record improved to 46 wins and just one defeat, excluding withdrawals.
The reigning Olympic champion and newly crowned two-time world champion is now only three victories away from successfully completing a third consecutive China Masters title run.
An Se Young to Face Kim Ga Eun
An’s quarterfinal will be an all-Korean encounter against Kim Ga Eun.
Kim defeated Denmark’s Line Christophersen 21-17, 21-19 to secure her place in the last eight.
An will enter the match as the clear favorite based on her extraordinary form, but an encounter against a national teammate can present a different tactical challenge because of the players’ familiarity with each other.
Wang Zhi Yi Ends Malaysia’s Singles Challenge
Malaysia’s final remaining singles representative was eliminated by China’s second seed Wang Zhi Yi.
World No. 31 Letshanaa was unable to seriously trouble the home favorite, with Wang winning 21-10, 21-8.
The result was Wang’s fourth consecutive victory over the Malaysian and officially ended Malaysia’s singles participation at the China Masters.
Wang will next face former world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan.
Okuhara booked her quarterfinal spot with a 21-18, 21-14 victory over Canada’s Michelle Li.
Ratchanok Intanon Stunned by Kaloyana Nalbantova
Thailand’s sixth seed Ratchanok Intanon became another big name to fall before the quarterfinals.
The former world champion was upset by 20-year-old Bulgarian Kaloyana Nalbantova, who continued one of the biggest runs of her young career.
Nalbantova will next meet Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki, who eliminated Indian youngster Tanvi Sharma.
The match offers both young players a major opportunity to reach the semifinals of a Super 750 tournament.
Akane Yamaguchi to Meet Supanida Katethong
Japan’s third seed Akane Yamaguchi also reached the quarterfinals and will face Thailand’s Supanida Katethong.
Supanida defeated Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Pin-Chian 29-27, 21-15 in a match featuring an extraordinary opening game.
Yamaguchi, a three-time world champion and the runner-up at the recent World Championships in New Delhi, remains one of the leading contenders in the women’s singles draw.
World No. 1 Jonatan Christie Stunned by Jason Gunawan
The biggest men’s singles upset came when Hong Kong’s Jason Gunawan defeated newly crowned world No. 1 Jonatan Christie.
Watch highlights of Jonatan Christie vs. Jason Gunawan in the 2026 China Masters Round of 16:
Jason beat the Indonesian top seed 21-16, 21-16 in their first career meeting.
The result came just days after Jonatan officially rose to world No. 1 on August 25.
The 28-year-old became Indonesia’s first men’s singles world No. 1 since Taufik Hidayat, ending a wait of approximately 26 years.
However, his first tournament after reaching the top ranking ended in the round of 16.
Jason Gunawan Reaches First Super 750 Quarterfinal
For 22-year-old Jason, the victory represents a major breakthrough.
The Hong Kong player, ranked world No. 32, reached his first Super 750 quarterfinal by defeating the top seed in straight games.
Jason will next face China’s defending champion Weng Hongyang.
Weng survived a difficult second-round match against Singapore’s former world champion Loh Kean Yew, winning 21-18, 11-21, 21-17.
The quarterfinal gives Jason another opportunity to test himself against a leading Chinese player after producing the biggest men’s singles victory of his career against Jonatan.
Kidambi Srikanth Stops Victor Lai
Canada’s 21-year-old rising star Victor Lai was unable to continue his run after losing to Indian veteran Kidambi Srikanth.
The 33-year-old Srikanth defeated Lai 21-18, 21-19 to record his first victory in their head-to-head series.
Srikanth will next face Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Lee reached the quarterfinals after edging France’s Toma Junior Popov 21-19, 24-22.
Kunlavut Vitidsarn Sets Up Clash With Anders Antonsen
Thailand’s third seed and former world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn progressed with a 21-17, 21-12 victory over China’s Lu Guang Zu.
Kunlavut will meet Denmark’s fifth seed Anders Antonsen in one of the strongest men’s singles quarterfinal matchups.
Antonsen secured his place by defeating Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in straight games.
Kodai Naraoka Continues Strong Form
Japan’s Kodai Naraoka also continued the form that carried him to the World Championships final in New Delhi.
The eighth seed defeated Canada’s Brian Yang 21-16, 21-11 to advance comfortably.
Naraoka will face France’s second seed Christo Popov in the quarterfinals.
The Japanese star had already eliminated China’s Li Shifeng 21-18, 21-7 in the opening round and has now reached the last eight without dropping a game.
Malaysia Sends Five Doubles Pairs Into China Masters Quarterfinals
Despite losing its remaining singles players and both women’s doubles combinations, Malaysia still has a strong presence heading into Friday’s quarterfinals.
- Men’s doubles: Soh Wooi Yik/Aaron Tai
- Men’s doubles: Tee Kai Wun/Yap Roy King
- Men’s doubles: Nur Azriyn Ayub/Tan Wee Kiong
- Mixed doubles: Hoo Pang Ron/Lai Pei Jing
- Mixed doubles: Goh Soon Huat/Lai Shevon Jemie
Soh and Aaron’s performance will attract particular attention because the partnership is still in its experimental stage.
After two victories — including a straight-games win over a world top-10 combination — the pair have already demonstrated that the eight-year age gap has not prevented them from developing an effective partnership.
China Masters Quarterfinals Set After Upset-Filled Opening Rounds
The first three days in Shenzhen have produced one surprise after another.
World No. 1 men’s doubles pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae were eliminated in the first round, newly crowned mixed doubles world champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue followed them out, and leading men’s singles players Shi Yuqi, Li Shifeng and now Jonatan Christie have also fallen early.
At the same time, several new names have taken advantage.
Jason Gunawan has reached his first Super 750 quarterfinal, Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing are producing an unlikely run from world No. 85, and Malaysia’s new Soh Wooi Yik-Aaron Tai combination has defeated a world top-10 pair in only its second match of the tournament.
An Se Young, however, continues to provide the biggest sense of stability in an otherwise unpredictable week of badminton.
With 30 consecutive victories and a 46-1 season record, the Korean world No. 1 remains firmly on course for a third straight China Masters title.
