SINGAPORE: Malaysia endured a painful quarter-final day at the Singapore Open 2026 as mixed doubles star Toh Ee Wei suffered a knee injury, defending men’s doubles champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were knocked out, and young pair Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai also saw their promising run come to an end.
Toh Ee Wei Forced to Retire With Knee Injury
Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei were on course for a possible semi-final place before misfortune struck against India’s Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto.
The third seeds were leading 18-16 in the opening game when Ee Wei was unable to continue after appearing to twist her left knee. The match lasted only 24 minutes before the Malaysians retired.
Tang Jie said the injury happened when the score was tied at 15-15.
“She told me her knee twisted at 15-all. She still wanted to try, but every time her foot touched the floor, she felt pain. I told her her body must come first,” Tang Jie said.
He added that Ee Wei had fought through physical discomfort before, making the retirement even more concerning.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Lose Title Defense
In men’s doubles, defending champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bowed out after losing 15-21, 15-21 to China’s Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in just 32 minutes.
The world No. 2 Malaysian pair struggled to match the speed and aggression of the Chinese duo, who controlled both games with sharper attacks and better front-court pressure.
The defeat ended Aaron-Wooi Yik’s hopes of defending the Singapore Open title they won last year.
Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai Push India Pair Before Exit
Malaysia’s young men’s doubles pair Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai also exited in the quarter-finals despite a spirited performance against India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty.
The world No. 27 pair won the opening game but eventually lost 21-19, 17-21, 13-21 after 65 minutes.
Although the defeat was disappointing, their performance showed encouraging signs against one of the world’s strongest men’s doubles pairs.
Men’s Singles Semi-finals Confirmed
The men’s singles draw also produced major results. Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan continued his breakout run by defeating Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 21-12, 21-17 to reach the semi-finals.
France’s Alex Lanier fought back to beat Denmark’s Anders Antonsen 14-21, 21-16, 21-16, setting up a semi-final clash against Alwi.
Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew recovered from a slow start to defeat Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu Jen 16-21, 21-6, 21-8, while Japan’s Koki Watanabe edged India’s Lakshya Sen 21-19, 15-21, 21-15.
Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles Results
In women’s singles, South Korea’s An Se Young defeated India’s P. V. Sindhu 21-17, 21-14, while China’s Chen Yufei came from behind to beat Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki 17-21, 21-17, 21-8.
Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi survived a tight battle against Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon 19-21, 21-19, 22-20, and China’s Wang Zhiyi defeated Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-11, 9-21, 21-13.
In women’s doubles, Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning advanced by walkover against Japan’s Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi. South Korea’s Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee beat Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto 21-15, 21-15.
China’s Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian overcame Bulgaria’s Gabriela Stoeva-Stefani Stoeva 21-14, 16-21, 21-13, while Japan’s Arisa Igarashi-Chiharu Shida defeated Thailand’s Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard 21-13, 21-18.
Malaysia Left With More Questions
For Malaysia, the day ended with frustration and concern. Ee Wei’s injury will be the biggest worry, while Aaron-Wooi Yik’s defeat raises questions over their ability to maintain consistency against China’s top pairs.
Still, Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai’s fighting performance offered a positive sign for Malaysia’s men’s doubles future, even as the senior pairs continue facing pressure on the BWF World Tour.
