Badminton players Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have reached number one in the world in men’s doubles. They should all be proud to now call themselves the world No. 1 pair! On May 28, they scored a spectacular upset at the Singapore Open. They went on to beat Taiwan’s Lee Fang-chih and Lee Fang-jen in straight sets, 21-13, 21-11. This historic win sets the stage for a thrilling second-round rematch. On the other side, they will be up against compatriots Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Yap Roy King.
The tournament winners proved their quality and versatility during their opening encounter, having started their debut tournament as the top-seeded duo. They easily conquered the very difficult drift conditions inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium. In just a little over 32 minutes, they controlled the game from start to finish and played their game plan to perfection.
Goh and Izzuddin had a breakout year, winning six titles. Among their achievements in the last couple of seasons, one of their proudest moments has been winning the prestigious Indian Open earlier this season. Their unexpected ascent to the top makes their story particularly surprising and inspiring. They split in January 2023 due to personal conflict, but they got back together on May 31 of that same year to train for the Paris Olympics.
Goh Sze Fei expressed gratitude for their journey, stating, “We’ve always enjoyed the process because we believe in it.” His words capture their passion for collaboration, focus on each other, and love for the game. He further emphasized their patriotic spirit by adding, “The world No. 1 ranking is something we dedicate to the entire country.”
Izzuddin shared insights into their preparation, noting, “Our strategy worked well, and our preparation was on point.” He reiterated their focus on enjoying the game, asserting, “Our main focus is to play our best and not let anything interfere. We just want to enjoy the match.”
The national men’s doubles department is buoyed by the trajectory of Goh and Izzuddin. They should be – on the men’s side, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are seeded fourth, and Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun are ranked seventh. This hopeful sentiment is indicative of the talent pool available in Malaysian badminton.
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