Jeonbuk State, Korea — Malaysia’s independent mixed doubles pair Lai Pei Jing and Jimmy Wong have booked their spot in the 2025 Korea Masters final after edging past home favorites An Yun Seong/Lee Yu Lim in a thrilling three-game semi-final on Saturday.
The third-seeded Malaysians fought for 59 minutes before prevailing 21-14, 19-21, 21-15 to seal their place in the championship match. It was the first meeting between the two pairs, and Lai/Wong displayed both composure and precision in the deciding game to silence the local crowd.
Seventh Final Appearance — Still Chasing Their First Title
Since forming their partnership in March 2025, Lai Pei Jing and Jimmy Wong have shown impressive consistency, reaching seven finals across international tournaments — yet the elusive title has remained just out of reach.
Their runner-up finishes came at the Vietnam International, Thailand International, Réunion Open, Macau Open, and both Indonesia Masters I & II, as well as the 2025 Korea Masters, now marking their latest shot at redemption.
Ranked World No. 37, the pair will face eighth-seeded Koreans Kim Jae Hyeon and Jeong Na Eun in the final. Kim and Jeong advanced after defeating compatriots Wang Chan/Kim Yu Jung in straight games 21-19, 21-10.
A victory in Jeonbuk would give the Malaysian duo not only their first international title together, but also a valuable boost in their BWF World Tour rankings heading into the 2025 season’s final stretch.
Elsewhere in the Korea Masters Finals
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Men’s Singles Final: Jason Teh Jia Heng (Singapore) vs. Yudai Okimoto (Japan)
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Men’s Doubles Final: Lee Jong Min/Wang Chan (Korea) vs. Raymond Indra/Nikolaus Joaquin (Indonesia)
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Women’s Singles Final: Chiu Pin-Chian (Taiwan) vs. Nguyen Thuy Linh (Vietnam)
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Women’s Doubles Final: Hinata Suzuki/Nao Yamakita (Japan) vs. Kim So Yeong/Lee Seo Jin (Korea)
Lai Pei Jing and Jimmy Wong will step onto the court with one goal in mind — to finally turn their string of near-misses into a championship moment that defines their partnership and marks a proud chapter for Malaysian badminton.
