Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky is hoping the country’s men’s doubles department can once again dominate the home stage by producing another all-Malaysian final at the 2026 Malaysia Masters.
The Indonesian coaching legend believes Malaysia’s top men’s doubles combinations have the quality and experience to challenge for the title again, especially with the advantage of competing in front of home fans.
Malaysia Men’s Doubles Continue to Impress
Rexy pointed to last year’s Malaysia Masters as proof that Malaysia’s men’s doubles players are capable of competing at the highest level consistently.
In the 2025 edition, Malaysia celebrated a dream final when Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun defeated fellow Malaysians Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik to capture the title.
“Last year, we not only produced the champion, but also an all-Malaysian final. I hope we can repeat that achievement again this year,” said Rexy.
The result highlighted the growing depth in Malaysia’s men’s doubles department, which currently features several world-class pairs capable of challenging for major international titles.
Man Wei Chong’s Fitness Remains Uncertain
Despite the optimism, uncertainty still surrounds defending champion Man Wei Chong, who continues to recover from a knee injury.
The injury has raised questions over whether he will be fully fit in time to defend the title alongside Tee Kai Wun.
Wei Chong has been managing knee issues for several months, and his physical condition remains under close monitoring ahead of the Super 500 tournament.
Focus Also on Mixed Doubles Department
Apart from the men’s doubles squad, Rexy Mainaky also hopes Malaysia’s leading mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei can maintain their strong momentum.
The world No. 4 pair have established themselves as one of Malaysia’s most reliable combinations over the past year and are expected to be among the home favorites at the Malaysia Masters.
Rexy additionally expressed interest in seeing newer partnerships perform well, including Jimmy Wong and Cheng Su Yin, who will have an opportunity to shine on home soil.
Malaysia Must Not Depend Only on Senior Stars
The Malaysian badminton coaching director stressed that the national team cannot continue relying solely on established stars.
Instead, he wants the younger and developing players to prove they can deliver under real tournament pressure.
“I want to see them show that they are not only good during training, but also capable of performing in actual competitions,” he explained.
According to Rexy, competing at home should provide additional motivation for Malaysian players to raise their level and challenge the world’s elite.
Home Crowd Could Play Important Role
The Malaysia Masters has often produced memorable moments for local badminton fans, and Rexy believes strong crowd support can become an important factor once again.
With Malaysia continuing to possess one of the strongest men’s doubles lineups in international badminton, expectations will naturally be high heading into the tournament.
Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik remain among the world’s top-ranked pairs, while Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun have steadily developed into genuine title contenders on the BWF World Tour.
Professional pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani also add further depth to Malaysia’s challenge.
Malaysia Masters Important Ahead of Bigger Events
The Malaysia Masters will also serve as an important platform ahead of several major tournaments later in the season, including the Singapore Open and Indonesia Open.
For many Malaysian players, strong performances at home could provide valuable ranking points, momentum, and confidence heading into the second half of the badminton calendar.
Conclusion
Rexy Mainaky’s ambition for another all-Malaysian final reflects the confidence surrounding Malaysia’s men’s doubles department, which remains one of the country’s strongest assets in world badminton.
Whether Malaysia can recreate last year’s memorable final remains to be seen, but the depth and quality of the current squad suggest another exciting week of badminton could be waiting for local fans.
This latest badminton news story highlights Malaysia’s growing strength in doubles badminton ahead of the 2026 Malaysia Masters.
