Latest news with #Izzuddin
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
UPDATED: Malaysian badminton makes history with men's pairs dominating world's top 2 rankings
KUALA LUMPUR: Goh Sze Fei–Nur Izzuddin Rumsani held their nerve to keep their place at the summit of the world rankings, and in doing so, ensured they remain the leading pair in what is now a historic Malaysian one-two in men's doubles. The world No. 1 duo survived a scare at the Indonesia Open on Thursday, rallying to beat world No. 28 compatriots Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub–Tan Wee Kiong 21-14, 16-21, 21-14 in a tense second-round clash at the Istora Senayan. It was not a match to be taken lightly. The two pairs had met three times previously, with Sze Fei–Izzuddin holding a narrow 2-1 edge, a reminder that their fellow independent and training mates are no pushovers. Had they lost, Sze Fei–Izzuddin would have been overtaken by fellow Malaysians Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik, who are projected to move up to No. 2 despite a first-round exit, thanks to the rolling points system and key upsets in the draw. But by advancing to the quarter-finals, Sze Fei–Izzuddin retained enough points to hold onto top spot with the current projected total of 91,090, narrowly ahead of Aaron–Wooi Yik's 89,870. Sze Fei–Izzuddin could now look to extend their lead depending on how far they go in Jakarta. It's still a landmark moment for Malaysian badminton, with two pairs set to be officially ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world when the new rankings are updated next Tuesday, a feat never before achieved in the country's storied history in men's doubles. The last time Malaysia had two pairs in the top three came in 2006, when Koo Kien Keat–Chan Chong Ming were ranked No. 2 and Choong Tan Fook–Lee Wan Wah sat at No. 3. But never have two Malaysian pairs simultaneously occupied the top two spots, until now. Aaron–Wooi Yik, the 2022 world champions, gained ground after Denmark's Kim Astrup–Anders Skaarup Rasmussen were ousted in the second round by Japan's Takuro Hoki–Yugo Kobayashi. The Danes lost 29-27, 21-11 in a match they needed to win to defend their semi-final points from last year, and are expected to fall to 87,520 and drop to third in the rankings. It was a pressure-filled outing for Sze Fei–Izzuddin, who had quarter-final points to defend from last year and needed the win to avoid being dethroned just two weeks after becoming Malaysia's first new men's pair to reach No. 1 since Goh V Shem–Tan Wee Kiong in 2016. Next up, Sze Fei–Izzuddin will face Indonesia's world No. 8 pair Sabar Karyaman Gutama–Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani in the quarter-finals. The two pairs have met only twice previously, with their last encounter, at the China Masters in November last year, going down to the wire before the Indonesians edged a thrilling 18-21, 21-18, 23-21 win.
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Sze Fei-Izzuddin cling on to world No. 1 spot
KUALA LUMPUR: Goh Sze Fei–Nur Izzuddin Rumsani held their nerve to keep their place at the summit of the world rankings — and in doing so, ensured they remain the leading pair in what is now a historic Malaysian one-two in men's doubles. The world No. 1 duo survived a major scare at the Indonesia Open today, rallying to beat world No. 28 compatriots Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub–Tan Wee Kiong 21-14, 16-21, 21-14 in a tense second-round clash at the Istora Senayan. Had they lost, Sze Fei–Izzuddin would have been overtaken by fellow Malaysians Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik, who are projected to move up to No. 2 despite a first-round exit, thanks to the rolling points system and key upsets in the draw. But by advancing to the quarter-finals, Sze Fei–Izzuddin retained enough points to hold onto top spot with a projected total of 91,090 — narrowly ahead of Aaron–Wooi Yik's 89,870. Sze Fei–Izzuddin could now look to extend their lead depending on how far they go in Jakarta. It's still a landmark moment for Malaysian badminton — with two pairs set to be officially ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world when the new rankings are updated next Tuesday, a feat never before achieved in the country's storied history in men's doubles. Aaron–Wooi Yik, the 2022 world champions, gained ground after Denmark's Kim Astrup–Anders Skaarup Rasmussen were ousted in the second round by Japan's Takuro Hoki–Yugo Kobayashi. The Danes, who were defending semi-final points from last year, are expected to fall to 87,520 and drop to third in the rankings. It was a pressure-filled outing for Sze Fei–Izzuddin, who had quarter-final points to defend from last year and needed the win to avoid being dethroned just two weeks after becoming Malaysia's first new men's pair to reach No. 1 since Goh V Shem–Tan Wee Kiong in 2016.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Satwik-Chirag outplay world no.1 Goh-Nur to sail into Singapore Open semifinals
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India's top men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stayed on course for their maiden title of the season, storming into the Singapore Open semifinals with a straight-game win over world No. 1 Malaysian duo of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin here on a comeback after battling fitness issues for the last few weeks, the Indian pair displayed rock-solid defence and controlled the front court with precision to register a 21-17, 21-15 win in a 39-minute quarterfinal clash at the Super 750 badminton is their third semifinal appearance of the season, having reached the last-four stage at both the Malaysia and India Open earlier this former world No.1 Indians held a 6-2 head-to-head record against the Malaysians going into the match, although they had lost their most recent meeting at the India match began with two service faults in the first four points and featured short rallies as both pairs looked to execute angled returns and attack at the earliest a result, the score moved evenly from 1-1 to 7-7 before the Indians gained a three-point cushion at the interval, with Satwik dictating the serve and third Indian pair maintained the pressure to go up 15-11 before Satwik committed a service error and Izzuddin unleashed a jump smash to narrow the gap to 13-15.A brutal forehand smash from Satwik pushed India ahead at 18-15. Izzuddin then hit one wide, and Chirag, who had earlier sent a shot long, redeemed himself with a straight smash to earn three game points. Goh buried a service return into the net, handing the Indians the opening game and the early made a few errors early in the second game, but the Indians did well to keep pace in the high-speed exchanges, with the score level at and Chirag then reeled off four consecutive points before an unforced error halted their momentum. A body blow from Chirag forced a weak return from Izzuddin into the net, giving India a four-point lead at the interval.A sharp backhand at the net took the Indians to 15-9 after the break. Satwik then sent down a thunderous smash to make it the Indians committed a few unforced errors, Satwik produced another fierce return to earn five match points. They sealed the win after another error from their opponents.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advance to Singapore Open Semifinals
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy India's top men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the Singapore Open semifinals after defeating world No. 1 Malaysian duo Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin in straight games 21-17, 21-15 at the Super 750 badminton tournament on Friday. The Indian pair, making a comeback after recent fitness issues, showed excellent defensive skills and court control during their 39-minute quarterfinal victory. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! This marks their third semifinal appearance of the season, following similar achievements at the Malaysia and India Open earlier this year. The former world No. 1 Indians entered the match with a favorable 6-2 head-to-head record against the Malaysians, despite losing their most recent encounter at the India Open. 11:29 'I don't want to be a one-season wonder': Punjab Kings' Shashank Singh The match began with service faults in the early points and featured quick rallies as both teams focused on angled returns and aggressive play. The score remained even from 1-1 to 7-7 before the Indians secured a three-point lead at the interval, with Satwik controlling the serve and third shot. The Indians maintained their advantage at 15-11 until Satwik's service error and Izzuddin's jump smash reduced the gap to 13-15. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Quiz: Who's that IPL player? Satwik's powerful forehand smash extended India's lead to 18-15. After Izzuddin's wide shot and Chirag 's straight smash, they earned three game points. The Indians claimed the first game when Goh sent a service return into the net. The second game saw early errors from Chirag, but the Indians matched their opponents in fast-paced exchanges, keeping the score level at 6-6. Josh Hazlewood - we picked up momentum from Jitesh's knock in Lucknow The Indian pair then secured four consecutive points before an unforced error. A body shot from Chirag forced Izzuddin into a net error, giving India a four-point advantage at the interval. After the break, a sharp backhand at the net extended their lead to 15-9. Satwik's powerful smash further increased the margin to 16-10. Despite some unforced errors, Satwik's fierce return earned them five match points. The victory was sealed following another error from their Malaysian opponents, securing their place in the semifinals of the Singapore Open.
New Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Current Malaysian world No. 1 pair face India's former world No. 1 in blockbuster
KUALA LUMPUR: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are riding high on confidence, but they know the hard work is far from over. The newly crowned world No. 1 men's doubles are bracing for a blockbuster quarter-final clash at the Singapore Open against India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, in what promises to be a riveting battle between the present and former holders of the top spot. Sze Fei-Izzuddin marched into the last eight in commanding fashion on Thursday, brushing aside former national teammates Wan Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King 21-13, 21-11 to continue their perfect run this week without dropping a game. Satwiksairaj-Chirag had to dig deep to advance after a gritty 19-21, 21-16, 21-19 victory over Indonesia's world No. 8 Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani. Despite their dominant start in Singapore, Izzuddin felt they are far from their peak. "Everything else we can still do much better," said Izzuddin. "We're happy to be winning, but there's still plenty of room for improvement." They'll need to find another gear on Friday, given their head-to-head record against Satwiksairaj-Chirag, having won just twice in eight meetings. However, the Malaysians did win their most recent encounter in the semi-finals of the India Open earlier this year, a result they'll be eager to repeat. Their opponents are no pushovers. Satwiksairaj-Chirag, now ranked world No. 7, are former world No. 1 who made history as India's first men's shuttlers to reach the top of the rankings following their landmark gold medal triumph at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in October 2023. Although a string of injuries since the Paris Olympics hampered their consistency, the Indian duo, coached by former Malaysian international Tan Kim Her, have still managed to rack up strong results. These include semi-final finishes at the China Masters last November, as well as both the Malaysia Open and India Open earlier this year. They may have relinquished the No. 1 ranking for now, but with a combined 18 weeks at the summit, Satwiksairaj-Chirag remain one of the most formidable pairs on the World Tour.
