French Open 2026: Malaysia Assured of Men’s Doubles Title
First Malaysian Men’s Doubles Champions in Paris Since 2004 Guaranteed; Both Pairs Beat Indonesian Opponents in Straight Games as Pearly-Thinaah and Hoo/Lai Also Reach Finals
Malaysia is assured of the men’s doubles title at the French Open. Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun both beat Indonesian opponents in the semi-finals and will meet in an all-Malaysian final at the World Tour Super 750 event.
The pair join women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing in the final. That makes four Malaysian finalists, a rare feat in the championships’ 117-year history.
Whichever pair wins, it ends Malaysia’s 22-year wait for a men’s doubles title at the tournament. The last Malaysian winners were Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat in 2004.
World No. 5 pair Sze Fei and Izzuddin beat 25th-ranked Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin 22-20, 21-9 in 31 minutes, after a close opening game. It was the third win for the Malaysians in as many meetings with the Indonesians.
They have been in excellent form in Paris. In the quarter-finals, they beat South Korea’s world No. 1 pair and defending champions Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae. The win took 36 minutes and finished 21-15, 21-18. They have won the Indonesia Masters and the Indonesia Open this year.
World No. 11 pair Wei Chong and Kai Wun beat up-and-coming Indonesians Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin, who are ranked three places below them, 21-16, 21-15 in 34 minutes. They had lost to the Indonesians in their only previous meeting, at last year’s Australian Open, so it was also revenge, and it levelled their head-to-head at one win each.
Their route was helped by luck in the quarter-final. Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik retired when leading 5-0, barely two minutes into the match. Aaron-Wooi Yik had reached the Denmark Open final the week before, while Wei Chong-Kai Wun had lost in the first round there, so the latter looked fresher in Paris. This is Wei Chong-Kai Wun’s first final of the year.
The final pairs two sides who know each other well. Sze Fei-Izzuddin has beaten Wei Chong-Kai Wun twice in three meetings. The most recent was at the Malaysia Masters last year, where Wei Chong-Kai Wun won in three games.
The winners in each doubles category take home US$70,300 (RM287,196), and the runners-up US$33,250 (RM135,836). The all-Malaysian men’s doubles final means at least one Malaysian pair will collect the winners’ money, and the other the runners-up cheque.
Credit Photo : BERNAMA
