Wan Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King produced another strong performance at the Malaysia Masters to book their place in the men’s doubles semi-finals, continuing Malaysia’s strong presence in the tournament on home soil.
Competing at the Unifi Arena in Kuala Lumpur, the world No. 16 pair defeated Americans Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith 21-15, 21-19 in the quarter-finals to move within one win of a place in the final.
Their run has been particularly impressive given Arif’s recent injury struggles. The Malaysian shuttler revealed he had only resumed training a week before the tournament, making the semi-final appearance an unexpected but significant achievement for the pair.
After a difficult first half of the season marked by several early exits, the Malaysia Masters campaign could represent a major turning point for the duo. Arif admitted their performances this year had often ended in second-round finishes or earlier, making this breakthrough run especially meaningful.
Despite the encouraging results, Roy King believes the partnership is still rebuilding its full rhythm following the injury setback. He explained that their understanding on court is gradually improving again, although he feels they are not yet operating at their highest level.
The semi-final appearance also extends Malaysia’s consistent representation in the men’s doubles last four at the Malaysia Masters since 2022.
Arif and Roy King are now chasing a third World Tour final together after previously winning the Macau Open in 2025 and finishing runners-up at the Spain Masters in 2024.
In the semi-finals, the Malaysians are set to face either Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi or Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard.
The Malaysians hold a strong record against the Danish pair but have yet to defeat the Japanese duo in previous meetings. Still, with confidence growing and strong home support behind them, Arif believes the pair have a genuine chance to continue their impressive run into the final.
