Malaysia’s professional men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani saw their Singapore Open campaign come to an end in the quarter-finals after losing to Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri on Friday.
The world No. 8 duo went down 18-21, 21-10, 14-21 in a 54-minute battle at the Singapore Indoor Stadium against the tournament’s third seeds.
Sze Fei–Izzuddin started strongly in the opening game, keeping pace with their Indonesian opponents before a series of late errors allowed Fajar–Fikri to edge ahead and clinch the first set 21-18.
General match trends in elite doubles badminton often show momentum shifts driven by small tactical adjustments, and that pattern was evident as the Malaysian pair regrouped effectively in the second set.
They responded with more aggressive attacking play and improved defensive structure, dominating the second game 21-10 to force a decider.
However, the momentum did not carry into the third set, as Fajar–Fikri regained control of the match to seal a 21-14 victory and book their place in the semi-finals.
Despite the exit, Sze Fei–Izzuddin arrived in Singapore with confidence after finishing runners-up at the Malaysia Masters last week, where they lost to Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard in the final.
