KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia men’s doubles pair Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal Nazri have officially split and will compete with new partners in upcoming badminton tournaments, according to the latest tournament entry lists.
The former world No. 30 pair will appear with different partners at the Thailand Open scheduled from May 12 to May 17, marking a new chapter in their badminton careers.
New Partnerships Announced for Thailand Open
According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) tournament draws, Choong Hon Jian will partner Wong Vin Sean, while Muhammad Haikal Nazri will team up with Bryan Jeremy Goonting. Both new pairs are expected to start their campaigns from the qualifying rounds.
The decision to split the pair has raised questions among badminton fans, especially since Hon Jian and Haikal had shown steady improvement since they were first paired together in 2023.
Strong Results Before Partnership Split
The pair previously produced several impressive results on the international badminton circuit. They finished as runners-up at the Indonesia Masters and won titles at the Syed Modi International and the Guwahati Masters.
They also captured the Orleans Masters title in 2024 and once climbed to world No. 18, placing them among Malaysia’s promising men’s doubles pairs for the future.
Recent Form and Injuries Affected Performance
However, their performances had declined in recent months, with several early-round exits and injury issues affecting their consistency as a pair.
The situation became more complicated after Muhammad Haikal Nazri withdrew from the Swiss Open earlier this year, a decision that reportedly did not come from the coaching team and raised concerns among the national coaching staff.
More Changes in Malaysia Doubles Scene
The restructuring is part of a broader reshuffle in Malaysia badminton doubles partnerships. In the professional circuit, Teo Ee Yi and Ong Yew Sin have also decided to go separate ways, with Teo Ee Yi expected to partner Chia Wei Jie in upcoming badminton tournaments.
The latest changes show that Malaysia badminton is continuing to adjust its doubles combinations as the team prepares for upcoming major badminton tournaments this season.
Stay tuned for more badminton news and updates from the world of badminton.
