KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun are bracing for one of their toughest tests at the Malaysia Open 2026 as they prepare to face Korea’s world-class duo Seo Seung Jae and Kim Won Ho in the quarter-finals.
Despite never having beaten the Korean pairing in five previous encounters, Wei Chong and Kai Wun remain optimistic that strong home support at the Axiata Arena could provide the extra spark needed to change the narrative.
Second-Round Victory Sets Up Blockbuster Clash
The Malaysian pair booked their quarter-final berth in emphatic fashion, dispatching Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa and Kyohei Yamashita 21–9, 21–15 in the second round.
Meanwhile, Seo and Kim overcame Malaysia’s independent duo Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong 21–15, 21–16, avenging their defeat at last year’s Denmark Open.
Home Crowd a Major Source of Motivation
Tee Kai Wun believes the passionate Malaysian crowd could play a decisive role, regardless of who stands across the net.
“The fans here are incredible. Playing at home always gives us extra motivation and excitement,” he said. “We hope their support can push us to play with more intensity and confidence.”
Both players echoed that sentiment, noting how constant cheers — whether they are leading or trailing — lift their energy levels throughout the match.
“That continuous encouragement really fires us up on court,” they added.
The upcoming quarter-final marks their sixth meeting with Seo and Kim, a pairing widely regarded as one of the most complete men’s doubles combinations on tour.
Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik Set for Redemption Test
Elsewhere in the men’s doubles draw, Malaysia’s top pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are gearing up for a high-stakes rematch against Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani.
Chia and Soh advanced after a grueling 62-minute battle, defeating China’s new pairing Chen Xu Jun and Liu Yang 21–14, 14–21, 21–14. Their Indonesian rivals edged past Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju 21–10, 14–21, 21–19.
The meeting will be their sixth international clash, with Sabar and Reza holding a commanding 4–1 head-to-head advantage, including three consecutive wins last year.
Aaron Chia, however, downplayed any talk of revenge.
“We’re not focusing on the word ‘revenge’,” said the 28-year-old. “What matters is concentrating on ourselves and executing what we need to do on court. It’s a new year, a new tournament, and everything starts fresh.”
The pair’s best Malaysia Open result to date remains a semi-final finish in 2022.
Chen Tang Jie–Toh Ee Wei Fly Malaysia’s Mixed Doubles Flag
In mixed doubles, world champions Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei emerged as Malaysia’s last remaining representatives after winning an all-Malaysian second-round clash.
The fourth seeds defeated teammates Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin 21–13, 23–21, extending their head-to-head dominance to four straight wins.
Chen and Toh will next face Hong Kong’s seventh seeds Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet, who earlier overcame Taiwan’s Chen Cheng Kuan and Hsu Yin-Hui in straight games.
With multiple Malaysian pairs still in contention across categories, anticipation continues to build as the Malaysia Open 2026 heads into a decisive quarter-final stage.
