Kumamoto, Japan, November 12, 2026 – Malaysia’s rising men’s doubles pair Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King produced another impressive performance at the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026 on Thursday, defeating senior compatriots Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin 21-14, 21-15 to reach the quarterfinals of the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament.
The victory made Aaron and Roy King Malaysia’s only remaining representatives in Kumamoto after Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun were eliminated by Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard, while mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing fell to China’s top seeds Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin.
Elsewhere, the tournament produced a series of major upsets, with South Korea’s world No. 1 men’s doubles pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae suffering a surprise second-round defeat. All five defending champions have now been eliminated from this year’s competition.
Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King Stun Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin
Playing in just their fifth tournament together, Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King continued their rapid rise with a convincing victory over fourth seeds Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.
The world No. 57 Malaysians needed only 28 minutes to defeat their world No. 5 compatriots in straight games, 21-14, 21-15, in their first meeting as a partnership.
Aaron, 20, and Roy King, 25, showed little hesitation against their more experienced opponents. The younger combination’s aggressive approach and ability to take the initiative helped them establish control in both games, leaving Sze Fei and Izzuddin unable to mount a successful comeback.
The result was another significant achievement for a partnership that has made remarkable progress in a short period. Aaron and Roy King announced themselves on the international stage by winning the Arctic Open in their first tournament together last month.
They have since climbed to world No. 57 and are now through to another World Tour quarterfinal, having also beaten Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi 21-8, 21-14 in Tuesday’s opening round.
Roy King had previously lost all four of his meetings against Sze Fei and Izzuddin when partnering Wan Arif Wan Junaidi, making Thursday’s victory particularly meaningful.
Aaron and Roy King will next face Chinese Taipei’s world No. 15 pair Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in Friday’s quarterfinals, with a place in the last four at stake.
The Taiwanese combination advanced after defeating China’s Hu Ke Yuan and Liang Wei Keng 21-14, 21-16.
Watch highlights of Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King’s victory over Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin at the 2026 Kumamoto Masters Japan:
Video source: Badminton Arena
Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun Fall to Danish Rivals
Malaysia’s other men’s doubles hopes suffered a setback when eighth seeds Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun failed to overcome Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard.
The Malaysians, who captured the French Open title last month, lost 15-21, 18-21 in 34 minutes, bringing their Kumamoto Masters campaign to an end in the Round of 16.
Wei Chong and Kai Wun entered the encounter hoping to reverse their previous defeat against the Danish combination, who won the Malaysia Masters earlier this year.
However, Lundgaard and Vestergaard prevailed in both games to secure their second consecutive victory over the Malaysian pair.
The result was disappointing for Wei Chong and Kai Wun, who had survived a demanding three-game opening-round match against Thailand’s Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul on Wednesday.
With Sze Fei-Izzuddin and Wei Chong-Kai Wun eliminated, Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King are now Malaysia’s last remaining men’s doubles representatives.
Malaysian men’s doubles pairs have reached at least the semifinals in every edition of the Kumamoto Masters since the tournament began in 2023.
Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi reached the last four in 2023, followed by Tan Wee Kiong and Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub in 2024, while Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin continued the run in 2025.
Aaron and Roy King now have an opportunity to extend that record when they face Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan on Friday.
Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing Lose Again to China’s Top Seeds
Malaysia’s final mixed doubles representatives, Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing, also saw their Kumamoto Masters campaign end in the second round.
The world No. 14 Malaysians went down 12-21, 19-21 to China’s top seeds and world No. 2 pair Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin in 33 minutes.
The defeat marked Pang Ron and Pei Jing’s third consecutive loss to the Chinese combination, following earlier setbacks at the Macau Open semifinals in June and the Korea Open quarterfinals last week.
After losing the opening game 12-21, the Malaysians put up stronger resistance in the second but were unable to force a deciding game, eventually falling 19-21.
The result also ended their opportunity to close the gap on Malaysia’s leading mixed doubles combination, Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie, who are ranked No. 11 in the world.
Despite Thursday’s defeat, Pang Ron and Pei Jing can still reflect on a productive period since forming their partnership approximately six months ago.
The pair have competed in six consecutive weeks of international tournaments, reaching the Denmark Open semifinals, finishing runners-up at the French Open, making another semifinal appearance at the Hylo Open and advancing to the Korea Open quarterfinals.
Their consistent results have helped establish them among the world’s leading mixed doubles combinations, although Jiang and Wei remain an obstacle they have yet to overcome.
World No. 1 Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae Suffer Stunning Upset
One of the biggest surprises of the Kumamoto Masters came in men’s doubles, where South Korea’s world No. 1 pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae were eliminated by compatriots Jin Yong and Jo Song Hyun.
The top seeds suffered a 19-21, 15-21 defeat to their world No. 116 teammates, ending their title defense in the Round of 16.
Kim and Seo arrived in Japan having finally ended a seven-month title drought by winning the Korea Open last week. However, their return to winning form proved short-lived.
The opening game remained closely contested until 19-19, when Jin and Jo secured the next two points to take it 21-19.
In the second game, the lower-ranked pair broke away from 9-9 by winning six consecutive points to establish a 15-9 advantage.
Kim and Seo reduced the deficit to 15-13 but could not complete the recovery, eventually losing the game 15-21.
The victory also provided Jin and Jo with revenge for their defeat to Kim and Seo at last week’s Korea Open.
Having only begun competing together last month, Jin and Jo have already won the Malaysia Super 100 tournament and now have another significant victory to their names.
They will next face China’s Wang Chang and Xie Haonan, who defeated compatriots He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu 18-21, 21-18, 21-13.
All Five Kumamoto Masters Defending Champions Eliminated
Kim and Seo’s defeat completed an unusual outcome at the 2026 Kumamoto Masters Japan, with all five defending champions eliminated before the quarterfinals.
Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, the defending women’s doubles champions and second seeds, were the first to exit after losing 21-18, 13-21, 14-21 to Japan’s Ririna Hiramoto and Chiharu Shida in the opening round.
Men’s singles defending champion Kodai Naraoka of Japan also fell in the second round, losing 15-21, 21-11, 18-21 to India’s former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth.
For Srikanth, the result was particularly significant as it marked his first victory over Naraoka in five career meetings.
In women’s singles, Thailand’s defending champion and fourth seed Ratchanok Intanon was eliminated by Chinese Taipei’s Lin Hsiang Ti 15-21, 19-21.
Thailand’s mixed doubles defending champions and second seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran also suffered a surprise defeat, losing 15-21, 7-21 to Japan’s Akira Koga and Natsu Saito.
With Kim and Seo joining the list of eliminated champions, none of the five titleholders from 2025 will successfully defend their crowns in Kumamoto this year.
Japan’s Top Women’s Doubles Seeds Also Crash Out
The upsets extended into women’s doubles, where Japan’s top seeds Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto were eliminated by South Korea’s Kim Hye Jeong and Lee Yeon Woo.
The Japanese combination lost 19-21, 18-21 to the newly formed Korean pair, who entered the tournament ranked No. 141 in the world.
Fukushima and Matsumoto had survived a difficult opening-round encounter against China’s Li Yi Jing and Wang Yi Duo, winning 14-21, 21-9, 23-21.
However, they were unable to repeat that recovery against Kim and Lee, who secured their quarterfinal place in straight games.
The result added another major upset to a tournament in which several leading seeds have struggled to advance beyond the second round.
Christo Popov, Chou Tien Chen and Victor Lai Exit Men’s Singles
The men’s singles competition produced further surprises as four of the tournament’s top five seeds were eliminated in the Round of 16.
France’s world No. 1 and top seed Christo Popov, who won the French Open on home soil last month, suffered a 15-21, 19-21 defeat to Indonesia’s Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah.
The victory was Ubaidillah’s first over Popov in three career meetings and sent the Indonesian youngster into the quarterfinals.
Chinese Taipei’s third seed Chou Tien Chen also failed to progress, losing 22-24, 19-21 to Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
The opening game was particularly close, with Watanabe eventually taking it 24-22 before securing the second 21-19 to complete the straight-game victory over the world No. 5.
Another Japanese player, Yushi Tanaka, eliminated Canada’s fourth seed Victor Lai 21-16, 21-19.
Lai had entered the tournament following his Korea Open triumph last week, but Tanaka brought his winning run to an end in the second round.
Fifth seed Kodai Naraoka’s defeat to Kidambi Srikanth completed the exits of four of the top five men’s singles seeds.
Only Thailand’s second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn survived among the top five, defeating South Korea’s Yoo Tae Bin 21-19, 21-14 to secure his quarterfinal place.
Meanwhile, the leading women’s singles contenders fared better. Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi and China’s Wang Zhi Yi and Chen Yu Fei all progressed to the quarterfinals, keeping the top three seeds in contention.
Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King Carry Malaysia’s Remaining Hopes
With three of Malaysia’s four doubles combinations eliminated on Thursday, attention now turns to Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King as the country’s sole remaining representatives at the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026.
Their victory over world No. 5 Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin was another important step for a partnership that has already exceeded expectations since winning the Arctic Open last month.
Friday’s quarterfinal against Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan will provide another test of their progress, with the young Malaysians seeking to extend their run and preserve Malaysia’s record of reaching the men’s doubles semifinals in Kumamoto.
Complete Tournament Results
The following results cover all 40 completed Round of 16 matches on November 12, 2026, together with the eight opening-round matches shown in the previously supplied tournament bracket screenshots. Scores are listed from the winners’ perspective. A walkover is identified separately because no games were played.
Men’s Singles
Round of 16 – November 12
Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah (Indonesia) defeated Christo Popov (France), 21-15, 21-19.
Alwi Farhan (Indonesia) defeated Kenta Nishimoto (Japan), 21-13, 6-21, 21-11.
Yushi Tanaka (Japan) defeated Victor Lai (Canada), 21-16, 21-19.
Lakshya Sen (India) defeated Dong Tian Yao (China), 21-8, 21-14.
Kidambi Srikanth (India) defeated Kodai Naraoka (Japan), 21-15, 11-21, 21-18.
Koki Watanabe (Japan) defeated Chou Tien Chen (Chinese Taipei), 24-22, 21-19.
Toma Junior Popov (France) defeated Wang Po Wei (Chinese Taipei), 21-9, 21-18.
Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand) defeated Yoo Tae Bin (South Korea), 21-19, 21-14.
Women’s Singles
Round of 16 – November 12
Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) defeated Supanida Katethong (Thailand), 18-21, 21-11, 21-13.
Riko Gunji (Japan) defeated Tung Ciou-Tong (Chinese Taipei), 18-21, 21-16, 21-16.
Chen Yu Fei (China) defeated Kaloyana Nalbantova (Bulgaria), 21-17, 19-21, 22-20.
Pornpawee Chochuwong (Thailand) defeated Natsuki Nidaira (Japan), 21-10, 21-14.
Tomoka Miyazaki (Japan) defeated Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt (Denmark), 21-16, 12-21, 21-10.
Lin Hsiang Ti (Chinese Taipei) defeated Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand), 21-15, 21-19.
Nozomi Okuhara (Japan) defeated Sung Shuo Yun (Chinese Taipei), 21-19, 21-10.
Wang Zhi Yi (China) defeated Mia Blichfeldt (Denmark), 24-22, 21-16.
Men’s Doubles
Round of 16 – November 12
Aaron Tai / Yap Roy King (Malaysia) defeated Goh Sze Fei / Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia), 21-14, 21-15.
Daniel Lundgaard / Mads Vestergaard (Denmark) defeated Man Wei Chong / Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia), 21-15, 21-18.
Jin Yong / Jo Song Hyun (South Korea) defeated Kim Won Ho / Seo Seung Jae (South Korea), 21-19, 21-15.
Wang Chang / Xie Haonan (China) defeated He Ji Ting / Ren Xiang Yu (China), 18-21, 21-18, 21-13.
Takuro Hoki / Yugo Kobayashi (Japan) defeated Hariharan Amsakarunan / M. R. Arjun (India), 21-14, 21-14.
Ben Lane / Sean Vendy (England) defeated Chen Zhi Yi / Presley Smith (USA), 21-18, 21-15.
Lee Jhe-Huei / Yang Po-Hsuan (Chinese Taipei) defeated Hu Ke Yuan / Liang Wei Keng (China), 21-14, 21-16.
Hiroki Okamura / Kyohei Yamashita (Japan) defeated Chiu Hsiang Chieh / Wang Chi-Lin (Chinese Taipei), 19-21, 21-19, 21-9.
Round of 32 – Results from supplied screenshots
Kim Won Ho / Seo Seung Jae (South Korea) defeated Christo Popov / Toma Junior Popov (France), 21-11, 21-17.
Jin Yong / Jo Song Hyun (South Korea) defeated Kang Min Hyuk / Lee Jongmin (South Korea), 22-20, 21-11.
Chiu Hsiang Chieh / Wang Chi-Lin (Chinese Taipei) defeated Chen Zhi Ray / Lin Yu Chieh (Chinese Taipei), 14-21, 21-11, 21-15.
Hiroki Okamura / Kyohei Yamashita (Japan) defeated Fajar Alfian / Muhammad Shohibul Fikri (Indonesia), 21-14, 11-21, 29-27.
Women’s Doubles
Round of 16 – November 12
Kim Hye Jeong / Lee Yeon Woo (South Korea) defeated Yuki Fukushima / Mayu Matsumoto (Japan), 21-19, 21-18.
Kim Yu Jung / Lee Yu Lim (South Korea) defeated Lin Chih-Chun / Yang Chu Yun (Chinese Taipei), 21-14, 21-15.
Rin Iwanaga / Kie Nakanishi (Japan) defeated Treesa Jolly / Gayatri Gopichand Pullela (India), 21-14, 21-14.
Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma / Meilysa Trias Puspitasari (Indonesia) defeated Mio Konegawa / An Uesugi (Japan), 21-17, 21-11.
Luo Yi / Wang Ting Ge (China) defeated Sumire Nakade / Miyu Takahashi (Japan), 21-16, 21-12.
Hsu Yin-Hui / Lin Jhih Yun (Chinese Taipei) defeated Miki Kanehiro / Yuna Kato (Japan), 21-17, 21-8.
Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi / Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti (Indonesia) defeated Sayaka Hirota / Ayako Sakuramoto (Japan), 20-22, 21-19, 21-15.
Ririna Hiramoto / Chiharu Shida (Japan) defeated Lauren Lam / Allison Quynh Lee (USA), 21-10, 21-12.
Round of 32 – Results from supplied screenshots
Yuki Fukushima / Mayu Matsumoto (Japan) defeated Li Yi Jing / Wang Yi Duo (China), 14-21, 21-9, 23-21.
Kim Hye Jeong / Lee Yeon Woo (South Korea) defeated Jackie Dent / Crystal Lai (Canada), 21-10, 21-8.
Lauren Lam / Allison Quynh Lee (USA) defeated Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn / Sabrina Sophita Wedler (Thailand), 23-21, 21-13.
Ririna Hiramoto / Chiharu Shida (Japan) defeated Pearly Tan / Thinaah Muralitharan (Malaysia), 18-21, 21-13, 21-14.
Mixed Doubles
Round of 16 – November 12
Jiang Zhen Bang / Wei Ya Xin (China) defeated Hoo Pang Ron / Lai Pei Jing (Malaysia), 21-12, 21-19.
Cheng Xing / Zhang Chi (China) defeated Kim Jae Hyeon / Jang Ha Jeong (South Korea), 21-15, 21-14.
Ye Hong Wei / Nicole Gonzales Chan (Chinese Taipei) defeated Liu Kuang Heng / Hsu Yin-Hui (Chinese Taipei), 21-17, 12-21, 21-18.
Yuta Watanabe / Maya Taguchi (Japan) defeated Amri Syahnawi / Nita Violina Marwah (Indonesia), 21-17, 11-21, 21-8.
Zhu Yi Jun / Li Qian (China) advanced over Yuichi Shimogami / Sayaka Hobara (Japan) by walkover. No game scores were recorded.
Gao Jia Xuan / Wu Meng Ying (China) defeated Guo Xin Wa / Chen Fang Hui (China), 14-21, 21-16, 21-19.
Wu Hsuan-Yi / Yang Chu Yun (Chinese Taipei) defeated Haruki Kawabe / Kokona Ishikawa (Japan), 18-21, 22-20, 21-18.
Akira Koga / Natsu Saito (Japan) defeated Dechapol Puavaranukroh / Supissara Paewsampran (Thailand), 21-15, 21-7.
