Yeosu, South Korea, November 6, 2026: Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun kept the nation’s hopes alive at the 2026 Korea Open on Friday, defeating Japan’s Haruki Kawabe and Kenta Matsukawa 21-14, 26-24 to become Malaysia’s sole representatives in the semifinals of the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament.
The world No. 9 pair survived a remarkable second-game comeback at Jinnam Stadium, while compatriots Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi, and mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing, were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun Save Five Game Points
Fresh from winning the French Open two weeks ago, third seeds Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun needed 36 minutes to overcome Japan’s Haruki Kawabe and Kenta Matsukawa.
After taking the opening game 21-14, the Malaysians found themselves trailing 10-17 and 11-18 in the second game.
They gradually reduced the deficit to 17-20 before saving five game points to keep their straight-game hopes alive.
Man and Tee then moved ahead 23-22 and 24-23 but failed to convert two match points. They eventually secured victory 26-24, avoiding a deciding game.
The result makes them the first Malaysian men’s doubles pair to reach the Korea Open semifinals since Low Juan Shen and Chooi Kah Ming in 2018.
Watch: Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun vs. Haruki Kawabe and Kenta Matsukawa Highlights
Video source: badminton Power
Malaysians Face World No. 1 Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae
Man and Tee will face South Korea’s top seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae in Saturday’s semifinals.
The Korean world No. 1 pair advanced after defeating China’s eighth seeds Wang Chang and Xie Haonan 21-14, 15-21, 21-19.
The Malaysians face a difficult challenge, having lost all six of their previous meetings against Kim and Seo.
Malaysia’s last men’s doubles appearance in a Korea Open final dates back to 1997, when Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock finished runners-up to South Korea’s Ha Tae Kwon and Kang Kyung Jin.
Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi’s Korea Open Run Ends
Malaysia’s Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi saw their impressive campaign end with a 17-21, 18-21 defeat to Japan’s fifth seeds Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi.
The Malaysian independent pair had reached their first Super 500 quarterfinal after upsetting China’s Chen Boyang and Liu Yi in the opening round.
Hoki and Kobayashi will next meet South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Lee Jong Min, who defeated Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi 21-17, 8-21, 21-10.
Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing Fall to Chinese Top Seeds
Malaysia’s Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing were unable to extend their strong recent form, losing 14-21, 18-21 to China’s world No. 2 pair Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin.
After dropping the opening game, Hoo and Lai built a 12-5 lead in the second before the Chinese pair fought back.
The Malaysians briefly led 13-11, but Jiang and Wei won four consecutive points to take control. Hoo and Lai saved two match points before bowing out after 32 minutes.
Despite the defeat, the Malaysian world No. 15 pair have reached at least the semifinals in five of their last seven tournaments, including runner-up finishes at the China Masters and French Open.
Jiang and Wei will next face Japan’s Akira Koga and Natsu Saito, who defeated China’s Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi 21-19, 20-22, 21-14.
China Secures Three Mixed Doubles Semifinal Places
China will have three pairs in the mixed doubles semifinals after Gao Jiaxuan and Wu Mengying defeated Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Maya Taguchi 9-21, 21-14, 21-18.
Gao and Wu will meet compatriots Zhu Yijun and Li Qian, who overcame Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui 14-21, 26-24, 21-19.
In women’s doubles, Japan’s Rui Hirokami and Sayaka Hobara will face the United States’ Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee, while South Korea’s Kim Yu Jung and Lee Yu Lim meet China’s Chen Fanshutian and Luo Xumin.
With Saturday’s semifinals approaching, Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun remain Malaysia’s last contenders for a Korea Open title.
Complete Tournament Results
Men’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hong Kong) defeated Wang Po Wei (Chinese Taipei), 23-21, 23-21.
Victor Lai (Canada) defeated Yudai Okimoto (Japan), 21-19, 21-12.
Wang Tzu Wei (Chinese Taipei) defeated Kim Hae Deun (South Korea), 21-12, 24-22.
Jason Gunawan (Hong Kong) defeated Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Indonesia), 23-25, 21-11, 21-13.
Women’s Singles – Quarterfinals
An Se Young (South Korea) defeated Riko Gunji (Japan), 21-7, 21-13.
Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) defeated Ni Kadek Dhinda Amartya Pratiwi (Indonesia), 21-13, 21-18.
Lin Hsiang Ti (Chinese Taipei) defeated Kim Min Sun (South Korea), 21-6, 21-8.
Hina Akechi (Japan) defeated Tomoka Miyazaki (Japan), 13-21, 23-21, 21-8.
Men’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia) defeated Haruki Kawabe/Kenta Matsukawa (Japan), 21-14, 26-24.
Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae (South Korea) defeated Wang Chang/Xie Haonan (China), 21-14, 15-21, 21-19.
Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi (Japan) defeated Chia Weijie/Teo Ee Yi (Malaysia), 21-17, 21-18.
Kang Min Hyuk/Lee Jong Min (South Korea) defeated Kakeru Kumagai/Hiroki Nishi (Japan), 21-17, 8-21, 21-10.
Women’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Rui Hirokami/Sayaka Hobara (Japan) defeated Kim Hye Jeong/Lee Yeon Woo (South Korea), 12-21, 21-15, 21-15.
Lauren Lam/Allison Quynh Lee (United States) defeated Gabriela Stoeva/Stefani Stoeva (Bulgaria), 21-19, 21-10.
Kim Yu Jung/Lee Yu Lim (South Korea) defeated Li Yi Jing/Wang Yi Duo (China), 17-21, 21-8, 22-20.
Chen Fanshutian/Luo Xumin (China) defeated Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi (Japan), 15-21, 21-12, 21-17.
Mixed Doubles – Quarterfinals
Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin (China) defeated Hoo Pang Ron/Lai Pei Jing (Malaysia), 21-14, 21-18.
Akira Koga/Natsu Saito (Japan) defeated Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi (China), 21-19, 20-22, 21-14.
Gao Jiaxuan/Wu Mengying (China) defeated Yuta Watanabe/Maya Taguchi (Japan), 9-21, 21-14, 21-18.
Zhu Yijun/Li Qian (China) defeated Guo Xinwa/Chen Fanghui (China), 14-21, 26-24, 21-19.
