Shenzhen, China: The upsets continued at the 2026 China Masters as China’s Li Shifeng and newly crowned mixed doubles world champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue suffered first-round defeats on Wednesday.
The latest surprises came just one day after South Korea’s world No. 1 and defending men’s doubles champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae were eliminated in the opening round, giving the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament two consecutive days of major badminton shocks.
Malaysia, meanwhile, experienced mixed fortunes with six doubles combinations in action on the second day. Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing, Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi, and Nur Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong advanced, while three other Malaysian pairs were eliminated.
World Champions Gicquel-Delrue Stunned in First Round
One of the biggest surprises came in mixed doubles, where France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue were unable to build on their historic World Championships triumph in New Delhi.
Only two weeks after becoming France’s first badminton world champions, the fourth-seeded French pair were defeated by Chinese Taipei’s world No. 48 Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin-Hui.
Liu and Hsu won 23-21, 21-10 in their first career meeting with the French stars.
- Winners: Liu Kuang Heng/Hsu Yin-Hui of Chinese Taipei
- Defeated: Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue of France
- Score: 23-21, 21-10
- Round: China Masters first round
The result was particularly unexpected because Gicquel and Delrue arrived in Shenzhen at the highest point of their careers.
At the 2026 BWF World Championships, they defeated China’s world No. 1 Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in the final to claim their first world title and create French badminton history.
In Shenzhen, however, they were unable to reproduce that form and exited after only two games.
Second-Seeded Christiansen-Bøje Also Eliminated
Gicquel and Delrue were not the only seeded mixed doubles pair to suffer an early exit.
Denmark’s second seeds Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje were also eliminated after Germany’s Marvin Seidel and Thuc Phuong Nguyen recovered from a game down to win 15-21, 21-13, 21-13.
That meant two of the tournament’s highest-seeded mixed doubles combinations were out before the round of 16 was completed.
Kodai Naraoka Hands Li Shifeng Heavy Defeat
Another significant result came in men’s singles, where Japan’s Kodai Naraoka defeated China’s Li Shifeng in straight games.
Li was the only Chinese men’s singles player positioned in the lower half of the draw and faced a difficult opening assignment against Naraoka, who had finished runner-up at the World Championships in New Delhi.
Although Li held a narrow 6-5 advantage in their career head-to-head before the match, Naraoka had won their previous two encounters.
The Japanese player extended that winning streak with a convincing 21-18, 21-7 victory.
- Winner: Kodai Naraoka of Japan
- Defeated: Li Shifeng of China
- Score: 21-18, 21-7
- Next opponent: Brian Yang of Canada
The opening game remained competitive, but the second turned into a one-sided contest as Naraoka allowed Li only seven points.
Naraoka will next face Canada’s Brian Yang for a place in the quarterfinals.
Another Difficult Result for Chinese Men’s Singles
Li’s defeat continued a difficult period for China’s men’s singles department.
At the World Championships two weeks earlier, China failed to place a men’s singles player in the quarterfinals, with Shi Yuqi and Weng Hongyang both suffering early exits and Li also falling before the last eight.
The China Masters offered the Chinese players an immediate opportunity to respond on home soil, but Li’s opening-round defeat to Naraoka means another leading home player has already been eliminated.
Chen Tang Jie-Cheng Su Yin Fall to Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui
Malaysia’s new mixed doubles combination Chen Tang Jie and Cheng Su Yin were unable to produce an upset against China’s fifth seeds Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui.
Chen Tang Jie is temporarily competing with different partners while his regular partner and former world champion Toh Ee Wei recovers following knee surgery.
After previously playing several tournaments alongside Clarissa San, Chen partnered Cheng Su Yin in Shenzhen as part of their preparation for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games badminton competition.
They faced a difficult opening-round draw against Guo and Chen, the reigning China Open Super 1000 champions.
The Chinese pair prevailed 21-14, 21-19 after 51 minutes.
Chen and Cheng made a strong attempt to extend the match in the second game, recovering from 14-18 down to level at 19-19. Guo and Chen, however, won the final two points to close out the match.
- Winners: Guo Xin Wa/Chen Fang Hui of China
- Defeated: Chen Tang Jie/Cheng Su Yin of Malaysia
- Score: 21-14, 21-19
- Match duration: 51 minutes
Guo and Chen will next face their Chinese teammates Zhu Yi Jun and Li Qian.
Chen Tang Jie and Cheng Su Yin will now turn their attention toward their Asian Games preparations.
Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing Advance in Three Games
Malaysia enjoyed better news through independent mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing.
They defeated Hong Kong’s Chan Yin Chak and Ng Tsz Yau 21-12, 16-21, 21-11 to advance to the round of 16.
Hoo and Lai controlled the opening game before their opponents responded in the second. The Malaysians regained control in the deciding game and pulled away for a comfortable finish.
Their next opponents will be China’s sixth seeds Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi.
- Winners: Hoo Pang Ron/Lai Pei Jing of Malaysia
- Defeated: Chan Yin Chak/Ng Tsz Yau of Hong Kong
- Score: 21-12, 16-21, 21-11
- Next: Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi of China
Goh Soon Huat-Lai Shevon Jemie Already Into Second Round
Malaysia’s other independent mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie had already booked their place in the second round following Tuesday’s opening action.
The world No. 11 husband-and-wife combination will face Japan’s Akira Koga and Natsu Saito on Thursday for a place in the quarterfinals.
Nur Azriyn-Tan Wee Kiong Beat Aaron Chia-Man Wei Chong
Malaysia also produced an entertaining all-Malaysian battle in men’s doubles.
Independent pair Nur Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong recovered from losing the opening game to defeat the experimental national combination Aaron Chia and Man Wei Chong 14-21, 21-15, 21-19.
The result ended Aaron and Man’s run in Shenzhen while sending Nur Azriyn and Tan into the round of 16.
The China Masters is part of Malaysia’s ongoing men’s doubles experimentation, although Aaron and his long-time partner Soh Wooi Yik have agreed to reunite as they work toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Under the existing competition schedule, the China Masters and next month’s Arctic Open are expected to be among Aaron’s final tournaments with alternative partners before the established Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik combination resumes its longer-term campaign.
Malaysia Guaranteed a Men’s Doubles Quarterfinalist
Nur Azriyn and Tan will next face another Malaysian combination, Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi.
That all-Malaysian second-round meeting means Malaysia is already guaranteed at least one men’s doubles pair in the China Masters quarterfinals.
Chia Weijie-Teo Ee Yi Save Three Match Points in Major Upset
Chia and Teo produced one of Malaysia’s most dramatic victories of the day.
The world No. 86 pair entered the China Masters following a series of withdrawals that opened a place in the draw, and they made full use of the opportunity.
Facing world No. 21 Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi of Japan, the Malaysians recovered from losing the first game and then survived three match points in the decider.
Chia and Teo won five consecutive points at the end of the match to complete a 16-21, 21-19, 22-20 comeback victory.
- Winners: Chia Weijie/Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia
- Defeated: Kakeru Kumagai/Hiroki Nishi of Japan
- Score: 16-21, 21-19, 22-20
- Ranking: Malaysians entered at world No. 86
Their reward is a meeting with compatriots Nur Azriyn and Tan Wee Kiong.
Arif Junaidi-Kang Khai Xing Still Searching for First Win
Malaysia’s experimental pairing of Arif Junaidi and Kang Khai Xing remained without a victory after four World Tour tournaments together.
The pair were beaten 21-11, 21-16 by India’s fourth seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
The Indian stars will next face France’s Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov.
For Arif and Kang, the result means their search for a first World Tour victory as a partnership will continue at their next tournament.
Soh Wooi Yik-Aaron Tai and Tee Kai Wun-Yap Roy King Return Thursday
Two other Malaysian men’s doubles combinations had already made winning starts on Tuesday.
Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Tai fought back to defeat Japan’s Hiroki Okamura and Kyohei Yamashita 18-21, 21-12, 21-15.
They will face China’s Chen Boyang and Liu Yi in the second round.
Tee Kai Wun and Yap Roy King also advanced after defeating Chinese Taipei’s He Zhi Wei and Huang Jui Hsuan 18-21, 21-16, 21-9.
The Malaysians will next meet Indonesia’s Ali Faathir Rayhan and Devin Artha Wahyudi.
Pearly Tan-Thinaah and Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah Begin Thursday
Malaysia’s two women’s doubles combinations received first-round byes.
Second seeds Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan will begin their campaign against Thailand’s sisters Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard.
Low Zi Yu and Noraqilah Maisarah, who are part of Malaysia’s Asian Games plans, face an even tougher challenge against China’s fourth seeds and defending champions Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian.
China Masters Produces Two Straight Days of Badminton Upsets
The first two days in Shenzhen have already transformed the China Masters draw.
Tuesday saw world No. 1 men’s doubles pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae suffer a shock opening-round defeat.
Wednesday then brought another series of surprises, led by the exits of world champions Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, Chinese men’s singles star Li Shifeng and Danish second seeds Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje.
For Gicquel and Delrue, the contrast is especially striking. Only two weeks ago they stood on top of the world in New Delhi; in Shenzhen, their campaign ended in the opening round.
Kodai Naraoka, meanwhile, demonstrated that his run to the World Championships final was no isolated performance, dismissing Li Shifeng in straight games and conceding only seven points in the second.
With several leading seeds already eliminated, the 2026 China Masters is quickly developing into one of the most unpredictable badminton tournaments of the season.
