Odense, Denmark: Malaysia will have two men’s doubles pairs in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Denmark Open after Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin won separate all-Malaysian battles in Thursday’s round of 16.
Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik ended the impressive run of newly crowned Arctic Open champions Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King with a 21-18, 21-11 victory, while sixth seeds Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin defeated Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi by the same 21-18, 21-11 score.
The results give Malaysian badminton two representatives in the last eight of the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament in Odense.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik End Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King’s Run
The first meeting between the two Malaysian combinations went to the more established Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, although Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King kept the opening game close after arriving in Denmark with considerable momentum from their Arctic Open triumph.
The pairs were locked at 12-12 before Aaron Chia and Soh began to create separation, winning six of the next nine points to move ahead 18-15.
Aaron Tai and Yap responded with three consecutive points to level the game at 18-18, but their senior teammates answered immediately. Aaron Chia and Soh won the next three points to close out the opener 21-18.
The second game was level at 4-4 before Aaron Chia and Soh took control. They steadily widened the gap and completed the straight-game victory 21-11.
Watch Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik vs Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King
First World Tour Quarterfinal Since Singapore Open for Aaron-Soh
The Denmark Open run marks Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik’s first BWF World Tour quarterfinal appearance together since the Singapore Open at the end of May.
The pair last competed together on the World Tour at the Indonesia Open in June before temporarily playing with younger partners as part of Malaysia’s men’s doubles reshuffle.
They reunited at the World Championships in New Delhi in August and immediately reached the final, finishing as runners-up before deciding to resume their partnership.
Their return in Odense has now produced consecutive victories and a place in the last eight.
Aaron Chia and Soh will next face Japan’s Hiroki Okamura and Kyohei Yamashita, who defeated China’s Hu Ke Yuan and Lin Xiang Yi 23-21, 21-12.
Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King Leave Denmark After Breakthrough European Run
Although their Denmark Open campaign ended in the second round, Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King leave Odense after an encouraging start to their new partnership.
The Malaysian pair had arrived fresh from winning the Arctic Open Super 500 title in Finland, where they completed the tournament without dropping a game.
They then showed another side of their partnership in the Denmark Open first round by recovering from a game down to beat South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Lee Jongmin 13-21, 21-18, 21-19.
Their first competitive meeting against Aaron Chia and Soh offered a considerably different test and ended the new pair’s winning run, but their back-to-back performances in Finland and Denmark have provided further evidence of how quickly the experimental partnership has developed.
Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Join Aaron-Soh in Quarterfinals
Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin also secured a place in the Denmark Open quarterfinals after beating compatriots Chia Weijie and Teo Ee Yi 21-18, 21-11.
The sixth seeds will face China’s second seeds Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang for a place in the semifinals.
With Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik and Sze Fei/Izzuddin advancing from separate sections of the draw, Malaysia remains strongly represented in the men’s doubles event heading into Friday’s quarterfinals.
Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae Survive Chinese Challenge
Top seeds Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae of South Korea had to recover from losing the opening game before eliminating China’s Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi.
Chen and Liu took the opener 21-14, but the Korean pair responded with a 21-13 second game before completing the comeback 21-16 in the decider.
Kim and Seo will next face Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi in the quarterfinals.
Thai Pair Edge He Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu in Three Games
Thailand’s Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon TeeraratSakul survived one of the closest men’s doubles contests of the round, defeating China’s He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu 21-17, 13-21, 22-20.
After the Chinese pair forced a deciding game, Peeratchai and Pakkapon edged the final game by the minimum two-point margin to secure their quarterfinal place.
They will next face Indonesia’s third seeds Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri.
Alwi Farhan Knocks Out Jonatan Christie
Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan produced one of the standout men’s singles results of the round by defeating fourth seed Jonatan Christie 21-14, 21-9.
Alwi did not drop a game against his higher-seeded compatriot and will now face Denmark’s fifth seed Anders Antonsen in the quarterfinals.
Antonsen booked his place with a convincing 21-10, 21-12 victory over Hong Kong China’s Jason Gunawan.
Yudai Okimoto Eliminates Sixth Seed Kodai Naraoka
Another seeded player fell in an all-Japanese match as Yudai Okimoto defeated sixth seed Kodai Naraoka 21-16, 21-14.
Okimoto’s reward is a quarterfinal against second seed Christo Popov of France.
Popov had to recover from a game down against Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul, eventually winning 18-21, 21-16, 21-16.
Alex Lanier Recovers to Beat Kidambi Srikanth
Seventh seed Alex Lanier also had to mount a comeback after India’s Kidambi Srikanth took their opening game 21-11.
The Frenchman responded by winning the next two games by identical 21-15 scores to move into the quarterfinals.
Lanier will face third seed Chou Tien Chen, who survived two close games against Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-19, 22-20.
Rasmus Gemke Continues Denmark Open Run
Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke followed his opening-round victory over top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn with another straight-game win, defeating Hong Kong China’s Ng Ka Long Angus 21-12, 21-18.
Gemke will meet Canada’s eighth seed Victor Lai in the quarterfinals.
Lai advanced comfortably by beating Singapore’s Jia Heng Teh 21-7, 21-13.
2026 Denmark Open Men’s Singles Quarterfinals
Rasmus Gemke (Denmark) vs Victor Lai (Canada)
Chou Tien Chen (Chinese Taipei) vs Alex Lanier (France)
Anders Antonsen (Denmark) vs Alwi Farhan (Indonesia)
Yudai Okimoto (Japan) vs Christo Popov (France)
Complete Tournament Results
Men’s Doubles – Round of 16
Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia) defeated Aaron Tai/Yap Roy King (Malaysia), 21-18, 21-11.
Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia) defeated Chia Weijie/Teo Ee Yi (Malaysia), 21-18, 21-11.
Hiroki Okamura/Kyohei Yamashita (Japan) defeated Hu Ke Yuan/Lin Xiang Yi (China), 23-21, 21-12.
Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae (South Korea) defeated Chen Bo Yang/Liu Yi (China), 14-21, 21-13, 21-16.
Peeratchai Sukphun/Pakkapon TeeraratSakul (Thailand) defeated He Ji Ting/Ren Xiang Yu (China), 21-17, 13-21, 22-20.
Men’s Singles – Round of 16
Rasmus Gemke (Denmark) defeated Ng Ka Long Angus (Hong Kong China), 21-12, 21-18.
Victor Lai (Canada) defeated Jia Heng Teh (Singapore), 21-7, 21-13.
Chou Tien Chen (Chinese Taipei) defeated Koki Watanabe (Japan), 21-19, 22-20.
Alex Lanier (France) defeated Kidambi Srikanth (India), 11-21, 21-15, 21-15.
Anders Antonsen (Denmark) defeated Jason Gunawan (Hong Kong China), 21-10, 21-12.
Alwi Farhan (Indonesia) defeated Jonatan Christie (Indonesia), 21-14, 21-9.
Yudai Okimoto (Japan) defeated Kodai Naraoka (Japan), 21-16, 21-14.
Christo Popov (France) defeated Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (Thailand), 18-21, 21-16, 21-16.
