PROFESSIONAL men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani failed to defend their Japan Open title after losing to South Korea’s Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae in the 2025 final. The match, held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, saw the Malaysians struggle against their opponents’ aggressive play.
The world number one Malaysians lost the first game 16-21 as they struggled to match the Koreans’ speed and precision. Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin started strong in the second game, leading 4-1, but their momentum faded after the interval. The Koreans fought back to level at 14-14 before taking control to win 21-17 in just 38 minutes.
Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae claimed their fifth title of the year, earning USD70,300 (RM298,000), while the Malaysians took home USD33,250 (RM141,000) as runners-up.
In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah also fell short, losing to China’s Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning 21-15, 21-14.
Sze Fei acknowledged their opponents’ dominance, saying, “They were very fast. We tried to keep up, but they were just too good.” Nur Izzuddin remained optimistic, vowing to improve in future tournaments.
The pair will next compete in the China Open 2025, starting Tuesday, where they face South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk-Ki Dong Ju. – Bernama
