It was heartbreak on two fronts for Malaysian men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani as they fell short in the Japan Open final and will now surrender their world No. 1 ranking. The Malaysian pair went down in straight sets, 16-21, 17-21, to South Korea’s in-form duo Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho in a high-octane 38-minute showdown at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. With the win, Seung-jae and Won-ho — currently ranked third — are set to officially dethrone Sze Fei-Izzuddin when the new world rankings are released.
Hoping to become the first Malaysian men’s pair to win the Japan Open title twice, Sze Fei and Izzuddin struggled to keep pace with the rapid-fire style of the Koreans. “They were just too fast and too good today,” admitted Sze Fei in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation. “We gave it our all and tried to enjoy the game.”
This marks their second loss to Seung-jae and Won-ho in three encounters, with their only win coming in January’s Indian Open final. The Koreans, meanwhile, are on a dominant run this season, adding the Japan Open to their growing trophy haul, which includes the All-England, Malaysian Open, German Open, and Indonesian Open.
Despite the loss, Sze Fei and Izzuddin can take pride in reaching their first final since India, a much-needed boost after a string of early exits. Now, all eyes are on the China Open in Changzhou, which kicks off tomorrow. The Malaysian duo will aim to defend their title and reclaim their world No. 1 status. “We’ll prepare better and just focus on our game,” Izzuddin said with renewed determination.
