Suwon, South Korea – Malaysian badminton fans had plenty to cheer for as two mixed doubles pairs, including the experienced husband-and-wife duo Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai and the rising pair Wong Tien Ci/Lim Chiew Sien, advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2025 Korea Open.
Goh/Lai Cruise Past China’s Gao/Wu
Seeded No. 5 in the tournament, Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai delivered a commanding performance against China’s young duo Gao Jia Xuan/Wu Meng Ying, winning in straight sets 21-16, 21-13.
Although the Malaysian pair trailed 3-6 early in the first set, they went on a 7-point streak to take control and held off the Chinese pair in a series of long rallies to claim the opener.
In the second set, Goh/Lai kept the pressure on with consistent offense and smart net play. Despite attempts from Gao/Wu to close the gap, the Malaysians remained composed and finished the match strongly in just under 30 minutes.
With this victory, Goh and Lai will face China’s No. 2 seeds Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin in the quarterfinals. Jiang/Wei defeated Japan’s Yuta Watanabe/Maya Taguchi in another straight-set victory, setting up a blockbuster clash in the last eight.
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Wong Tien Ci/Lim Chiew Sien Stage Epic Comeback
In one of the most dramatic matches of the day, Malaysian underdogs Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien came from behind to defeat South Korea’s Lee Jong Min/Chae Yu Jung in three games: 9-21, 21-15, 21-17.
After being completely outplayed in the first game, Wong/Lim regrouped and adjusted their tactics, stunning the home crowd with relentless energy and excellent rotation at the net.
Their comeback victory earned them a quarterfinal duel against Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje, who also pulled off an upset by defeating Indonesia’s Jafar Hidayatullah/Felisha Pasaribu in a tough three-setter.
Other Mixed Doubles Results
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Top seeds Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (China) advanced with a 22-20, 21-9 win over Japan’s Shimogami/Hobara, setting up an all-China quarterfinal clash with teammates Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi.
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Guo Xin Wa/Chen Fang Hui (China) beat Thailand’s Oupthong/Sudjaipraparat in straight sets to book a quarterfinal match against Indonesia’s Syahnawi/Marwah, who ousted Japan’s Midorikawa/Saito.
Justin Hoh Falls to Antonsen
Malaysia’s Justin Hoh, ranked 37 in the world, saw his Korea Open campaign come to an end after losing to World No. 2 and top seed Anders Antonsen of Denmark.
The match, part of the men’s singles round of 16, saw Hoh fight hard in the first game before Antonsen took control in the second, winning 21-17, 21-11.
Though Hoh’s run ends here, his earlier victory over Wang Zheng Xing confirmed his rising stature as a future star in the world of badminton.
Korea Open 2025 Prize Pool
The 2025 Korea Open is a BWF Super 500 tournament with a total prize purse of USD $475,000, attracting many of the world’s top players across all categories.
Malaysia now has two mixed doubles pairs in the quarterfinals, with strong momentum heading into the next round. Can Goh/Lai use their experience to upset the Chinese favorites? Will Wong/Lim continue their fairytale run?
Stay tuned for more badminton news, live updates, and exclusive insights from the 2025 Korea Open, right here on BadmintonPlanet.com.
