Kumamoto, Japan, November 10, 2026: Malaysia endured a disappointing opening day at the 2026 Kumamoto Masters Japan as Lee Zii Jia failed to advance from men’s singles qualifying, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik were forced to retire through injury, and women’s doubles stars Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan suffered a surprise first-round defeat to Japan’s Ririna Hiramoto and Chiharu Shida.
The setbacks at the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament came at a crucial stage of the season, with Lee seeking valuable ranking points ahead of 2027 and Aaron-Soh attempting to strengthen their position in the race for the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals.
For Pearly and Thinaah, the defeat was particularly frustrating. The defending champions arrived in Kumamoto hoping to reach a third consecutive World Tour final, only to see their title defense end in their opening match.
Lee Zii Jia Falls to Minoru Koga in Kumamoto Masters Qualifying
Former All England champion Lee Zii Jia suffered another setback in his attempt to rebuild his world ranking, losing 15-21, 10-21 to Japan’s Minoru Koga in the men’s singles qualifying round.
Lee, currently ranked world No. 40, was unable to overcome the world No. 48 Japanese player, who completed the straight-game victory in just 32 minutes at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.
The Malaysian had entered the tournament hoping to collect ranking points and move closer to his immediate target of returning to the world’s top 32.
However, Koga took the opening game 21-15 before winning the second 21-10, preventing Lee from reaching the main draw.
The result also reversed their previous encounter at the Swiss Open in March, when Lee defeated Koga in qualifying.
Lee’s early exit was disappointing given his encouraging performance at the Arctic Open in Finland last month, where he advanced from qualifying to the semifinals before losing to Denmark’s Anders Antonsen.
His Kumamoto defeat also ended Malaysia’s men’s singles challenge before the main draw, following the earlier withdrawals of Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe.
Watch: Lee Zii Jia vs. Minoru Koga — 2026 Kumamoto Masters Highlights
Video source: Nadi Badminton
Lee Zii Jia Turns Attention to Syed Modi International
Despite the setback, Lee still has one scheduled tournament remaining in his 2026 campaign.
The 28-year-old is expected to compete at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow, India, from November 24 to 29, where he will have another opportunity to earn ranking points before the new season.
His coach, Liew Daren, had previously identified the Kumamoto Masters and Syed Modi International as important tournaments in Lee’s effort to regain a place among the world’s top 32.
Lee’s recent recovery from physical setbacks has been encouraging, but the defeat in Japan underlines the challenge of rebuilding consistency after an extended period of disrupted competition.
With qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics scheduled to begin in May 2027, improving his ranking and returning to regular competition remain important priorities.
Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik Retire After Heel Injury Returns
Malaysia suffered another major setback in men’s doubles when world No. 4 pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik were forced to retire from their opening-round match against India’s Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun.
The Malaysians had played for only six minutes and were trailing 6-11 in the opening game when Soh was unable to continue because of a recurring right heel injury.
The injury was particularly concerning because it had previously affected Soh during the French Open last month.
Malaysia’s men’s doubles coach Chang Kim Wai confirmed that the problem was a recurrence of the same injury.
“Wooi Yik suffered the same heel injury as during the French Open,” Chang said, according to the Malaysian-language report.
The retirement handed the Indian pair a place in the second round and raised questions about Aaron and Soh’s immediate tournament schedule.
BWF World Tour Finals Qualification Becomes More Challenging
The early retirement could have implications for Aaron and Soh’s hopes of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals in December.
With limited tournaments remaining on the calendar, the pair have fewer opportunities to collect the points needed to improve their position in the qualification race.
The Malaysians are also scheduled to compete at the Hong Kong Open from November 17 to 22, although Soh’s fitness could affect their participation.
No confirmed decision regarding their Hong Kong Open appearance was included in the initial injury report.
For the former world champions, recovering fully will be essential before returning to competition, particularly with the 2027 season approaching.
Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan Stunned by Japanese Pair
Malaysia’s women’s doubles hopes also suffered a significant blow as world No. 4 Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan lost 21-18, 13-21, 14-21 to Japan’s Ririna Hiramoto and Chiharu Shida.
The second-seeded Malaysians entered the Kumamoto Masters as defending champions after a successful recent run that included winning the Denmark Open and finishing runners-up at the French Open.
They appeared on course for another positive result after taking the opening game 21-18.
However, Hiramoto and Shida responded strongly in the second game, winning 21-13 to level the match.
The Japanese pair maintained their advantage in the deciding game and completed the comeback 21-14 after 63 minutes.
The defeat ended Pearly and Thinaah’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive final and brought their Kumamoto Masters title defense to an abrupt conclusion.
Hiramoto and Shida Deliver Major First-Round Upset
The result was particularly notable because Hiramoto and Shida entered the tournament with a much lower world ranking than the Malaysian pair.
While Pearly and Thinaah were ranked fourth in the world, the Japanese partnership was still building its ranking as a relatively new combination.
Shida, however, is no stranger to major international competition. She previously formed a successful women’s doubles partnership with Nami Matsuyama, giving the new Japanese pairing valuable experience despite its lower ranking.
The home pair recovered from losing the opening game and controlled the next two games to secure one of the day’s notable results.
For Pearly and Thinaah, the defeat was a disappointing interruption to an otherwise productive stretch of the season.
Malaysia’s Remaining Players Look to Keep Kumamoto Masters Campaign Alive
Despite the setbacks involving three of Malaysia’s biggest names, the country’s challenge in Kumamoto was not entirely over.
Men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin advanced to the second round after defeating Denmark’s Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer 21-15, 21-16.
Another Malaysian pair, Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King, also progressed with a 21-8, 21-14 victory over Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi.
Those victories provided some encouragement on a day otherwise dominated by disappointing results and injury concerns.
For Malaysia’s leading players, the Kumamoto Masters has highlighted different challenges heading into the final weeks of 2026.
Lee Zii Jia must continue rebuilding his ranking and match consistency, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik face uncertainty over Soh’s fitness, and Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan will look to respond after an unexpected first-round exit.
With the Hong Kong Open, Syed Modi International and BWF World Tour Finals approaching, Malaysia’s attention now turns to how its remaining players can finish the season.
Complete Tournament Results
2026 Kumamoto Masters — Men’s Singles Qualifying
Minoru Koga (Japan) defeated Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia), 21-15, 21-10.
2026 Kumamoto Masters — Men’s Doubles First Round
Hariharan Amsakarunan / M. R. Arjun (India) defeated Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia), 11-6, retired. The Malaysian pair withdrew during the opening game because of Soh Wooi Yik’s right heel injury.
Goh Sze Fei / Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia) defeated Christian Faust Kjaer / Rasmus Kjaer (Denmark), 21-15, 21-16.
Aaron Tai / Yap Roy King (Malaysia) defeated Kakeru Kumagai / Hiroki Nishi (Japan), 21-8, 21-14.
2026 Kumamoto Masters — Women’s Doubles First Round
Ririna Hiramoto / Chiharu Shida (Japan) defeated Pearly Tan / Thinaah Muralitharan (Malaysia), 18-21, 21-13, 21-14.
