Malaysia’s challenge at the KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2026 received another major boost on Thursday as mixed doubles stars Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei produced one of the standout performances of the day to storm into the quarter-finals in commanding fashion.
The third-seeded pair displayed superb composure and attacking quality to defeat South Korea’s Kim Jae Hyeon-Jang Ha Jeong in straight games, 22-20, 21-14, in the Round of 16 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
After surviving a tense opening game, Tang Jie and Ee Wei elevated their intensity in the second set with aggressive front-court play and sharper rotations that left the Korean pair struggling to respond. Their chemistry and tactical discipline once again highlighted why they remain among Malaysia’s strongest medal hopes on the HSBC BWF World Tour this season.
The victory continues an encouraging run for the Malaysian duo, who have steadily regained momentum following several strong performances earlier in the year. More importantly, their latest triumph keeps alive Malaysia’s hopes of a deep mixed doubles campaign in Singapore.
However, it was heartbreak for women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah after the Malaysian second seeds suffered a surprise straight-games defeat against Thailand’s Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard.
Despite entering the match as favourites, Pearly and Thinaah struggled to establish control against the relentless pace and defensive resilience of the Thai sisters, eventually falling 16-21, 19-21.
The Malaysian pair attempted to mount a late comeback in the second game after trailing early, but crucial attacking errors at decisive moments allowed the Thai duo to seal the upset victory.
The defeat marked a disappointing end to the campaign for Pearly and Thinaah, who had entered the tournament carrying strong expectations following several consistent performances on the international circuit this season.
Malaysia still had plenty to celebrate in men’s doubles as world-class pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik advanced comfortably after defeating England’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy 21-18, 21-16.
The former world champions looked increasingly sharp throughout the encounter, combining defensive solidity with fast attacking transitions to book another quarter-final appearance.
Meanwhile, Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai also impressed after dispatching Indonesia’s sixth seeds Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 21-19, 21-17 in one of the biggest Malaysian victories of the round.
Another headline clash saw Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani emerge victorious in an all-Malaysian battle against Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King.
The eighth seeds were pushed hard before securing a 23-21, 16-21, 21-8 victory, showing their experience and composure during the decisive third game.
Elsewhere, Jimmy Wong-Cheng Su Yin were eliminated after losing 6-21, 13-21 to Taiwan’s Yang Po-Hsuan-Hu Ling Fang.
With several pairs successfully reaching the quarter-finals, Malaysia’s presence at the Singapore Open 2026 remains strong — led by the growing confidence of Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, who continue to look increasingly capable of mounting a serious title challenge.
Credit Photo : SBA
