KUALA LUMPUR — The presence of former national men’s doubles star Koo Kien Keat proved to be a timely boost for Malaysia’s professional pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, as they advanced to the second round of the Malaysia Open 2026 at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.
The world No. 7 duo produced a confident display in the opening round, defeating Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard–Mads Vestergraard in straight games 21–15, 21–13. The win not only secured their place in the next round but also erased the disappointment of an early exit at the same stage last year.
Match Highlights
The result also brought their head-to-head record against the Danish pair level at 2–2.
Koo Kien Keat’s Impact On and Off Court
Sze Fei and Izzuddin expressed their appreciation to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and Koo Kien Keat, whose involvement played a key role in their preparation for the Super 1000 tournament.
In the build-up to the Malaysia Open, the pair spent four days training at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM), sparring with top national pairs including Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong–Tee Kai Wun.
More importantly, Koo’s contribution extended beyond tactics. The former Olympic silver medallist also focused on mental preparation and was present courtside during the match.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank BAM and Kien Keat for helping with our preparation,” Sze Fei said. “He didn’t just help with the game plan, but also with our mindset and how to prepare mentally for a big tournament like this.”
Strong Partnership on Court
Reflecting on the match, Sze Fei praised his partner’s performance.
“Izzuddin played really well today. There were many situations where he covered for me, which allowed me to focus on my role,” he said.
Izzuddin, meanwhile, credited their win to a calm and fearless approach.
“We didn’t think about anything else. We went onto the court, played bravely, stayed calm, and gave our best,” he said.
Next Challenge Ahead
Goh Sze Fei–Nur Izzuddin will next face England’s Ben Lane–Sean Vendy on Thursday, with a quarter-final berth at stake.
Other Malaysian Results
In another men’s doubles first-round match, Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong–Tee Kai Wun avenged their previous defeat to Denmark’s Kim Astrup–Anders Skaarup Rasmussen with a straight-games win 21–17, 21–18 in 42 minutes. The victory levelled their head-to-head record at 2–2.
Wei Chong described the win as especially satisfying after their narrow loss in Singapore last year.
“It feels good because we lost by just two points in Singapore. This time, Kai Wun played very well, especially in finding open spaces to score,” he said.
Meanwhile, an all-Malaysian clash saw Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub–Tan Wee Kiong recover from a first-game loss to defeat Ong Yew Sin–Teo Ee Yi 11–21, 24–22, 21–11 in a 52-minute battle.
Azriyn–Wee Kiong are expected to face a stern test in the second round, with a meeting against world No. 1 Koreans Kim Won Ho–Seo Seung Jae.
Lee Zii Jia Reflects on Early Exit
Elsewhere, Malaysian men’s singles star Lee Zii Jia admitted his performance remains some way off its peak after suffering a first-round exit at the hands of India’s Ayush Shetty, losing 12–21, 17–21.
The former All England champion assessed his comeback display at only “50 to 60 percent,” acknowledging that lingering physical limitations continue to affect his game.
“I don’t think I’m anywhere near 100 percent yet, and honestly, I’m not satisfied with today’s performance,” Lee said candidly after the match.
