Malaysia’s men’s doubles contingent has made a strong statement at the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi, with all three pairs advancing to the last 16 and guaranteeing the country a quarter-finalist.
World No. 6 Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were forced to work hard for their place in the next round, overcoming Scotland’s Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley 21-11, 15-21, 21-16 in a second-round battle at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
The Malaysians looked in control after taking the opening game comfortably, but the Grimley brothers responded strongly in the second to level the match. Sze Fei and Izzuddin regrouped in the deciding game and regained control at the crucial stages to avoid a major upset.
The victory also maintained their unbeaten record against the Scottish pair, with the Malaysians now leading their head-to-head 2-0.
Sze Fei and Izzuddin will next face Taiwan's 14th seeds Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi Lin in the last 16. The two pairs have split their previous two meetings, making the upcoming clash another difficult test for the Malaysians.
Sze Fei and Izzuddin won their first encounter 21-18, 21-16 at the 2024 China Masters, but the Taiwanese pair responded with a 16-21, 21-16, 21-18 victory in the German Open quarter-finals earlier this year.
The bigger goal for Sze Fei and Izzuddin will be to finally break through the last-16 barrier at the World Championships. The pair previously reached this stage in 2021, 2022 and 2025 but were unable to progress further.
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Malaysia's other two men's doubles pairs also booked their places in the last 16, with defending champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik joined by Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun.
The result has created an exciting all-Malaysian clash in the next round, with Aaron and Soh drawn against Man and Tee. That guarantees Malaysia at least one pair in the quarter-finals and keeps the country's hopes of another deep run alive.
For Aaron and Soh, the match will also provide an opportunity to continue their title defence, while Man and Tee will be looking to produce a major statement by eliminating the reigning champions.
With all three Malaysian pairs still in contention, the men's doubles event has emerged as one of the country's strongest hopes for success in New Delhi. The next round could bring another important step towards a potential all-Malaysian push for the medals.
