Kumamoto, Japan — Malaysia’s men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani kept their BWF World Tour Finals dream alive after surviving a fierce three-game battle to reach the 2025 Kumamoto Masters quarterfinals on Thursday.
The world No. 4 duo were forced to dig deep before edging past Japan’s Keiichiro Matsui and Katsuki Tamate 21–23, 21–13, 26–24 in a nerve-wracking contest at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.
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The match, which lasted just under an hour, tested the Malaysians’ composure and stamina, but their resilience in the deciding game proved crucial as they sealed the victory on their third match point.
Key Win in Race to Hangzhou
This crucial win keeps Goh and Izzuddin in contention for a place at the prestigious BWF World Tour Finals, scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China (Dec 17–21).
Currently ranked No. 7 in the BWF World Tour standings, they are locked in a tight battle with compatriots Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun for Malaysia’s second qualifying slot behind Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who have already secured their place as world No. 2.
In the quarterfinals, Goh and Izzuddin will face Taiwan’s world No. 12 pair Lee Jhe Huei and Yang Po Hsuan, who have also shown strong form this season.
Other Malaysian Highlights
Malaysia enjoyed a strong day overall, with several national pairs making progress across multiple disciplines:
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Wan Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King, fresh off their Macau Open victory, delivered another convincing performance by defeating Japan’s Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami 21–11, 21–19 to secure their quarterfinal spot.
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Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal Nazri mounted a spirited comeback after losing the opening game, eventually beating Taiwan’s Liu Kuang Heng and Yang Po Han 14–21, 21–17, 21–19.
Pearly Tan and Thinaah Cruise into Quarterfinals
Malaysia’s top women’s doubles team Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah also continued their excellent run, advancing to the quarterfinals after dominating Korea’s Jeong Na Eun and Lee Yeon Woo 21–14, 21–9 in just 31 minutes.
The world No. 2 and tournament top seeds extended their perfect record against the Korean pair to 4–0, maintaining strong momentum as they chase their third BWF title of the season.
They will next face the winners between Taiwan’s Hsu Yin Hui/Lin Jhih Yun and Japan’s Nanako Hara/Riko Kiyose for a place in the semifinals.
Mixed Results in Other Events
In men’s singles, Malaysia’s Jacky Kok struggled against Japan’s experienced Kenta Nishimoto, going down 20–22, 11–21 in the round of 16.
Women’s singles also saw an early exit for Letshanaa Karupathevan, who fell to Chiu Pin-Chian of Chinese Taipei 24–22, 21–18 after a closely contested duel.
Meanwhile, in mixed doubles, both Malaysian pairs bowed out:
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Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin were eliminated by Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran 14–21, 21–12, 21–17.
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Jimmy Wong and Lai Pei Jing fell to Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan of Chinese Taipei 21–17, 21–14.
With Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin, Pearly Tan/Thinaah, and Wan Arif/Yap Roy King all progressing, Malaysia remains well-represented in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Kumamoto Masters. The results could prove pivotal in shaping the nation’s qualification standings ahead of the BWF World Tour Finals in December — setting the stage for another exciting weekend of world-class badminton.
