KUMAMOTO, Japan, Nov 12, 2026 — Malaysia’s rising men’s doubles stars Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King delivered a stunning upset at the Kumamoto Masters 2026, defeating world No. 5 Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani to storm into the quarter-finals.
The young national pair, known as Aaron-Roy King, needed just 28 minutes to dismantle their senior compatriots 21-14, 21-15 in their first-ever meeting.
The commanding victory marks another impressive milestone for the fast-rising combination, who continue to turn heads on the international badminton circuit.
Aaron-Roy King Deliver Stunning 28-Minute Victory
Facing the tournament’s fourth seeds, Aaron-Roy King showed little hesitation against their more experienced opponents.
The young duo took the opening game 21-14 before sealing the second 21-15, completing a remarkable straight-game victory in under half an hour.
Their latest triumph comes just a month after capturing the Arctic Open title in their first tournament together, an achievement that immediately put the newly formed partnership in the spotlight.
Now, defeating one of Malaysia’s highest-ranked men’s doubles combinations has further strengthened their reputation as an exciting pair to watch.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin’s Kumamoto Hopes End Early
For Sze Fei-Izzuddin, the defeat brought a disappointing end to their campaign in Japan.
The world No. 5 pair entered the tournament as fourth seeds and were hoping to repeat their semi-final appearance from last year’s Kumamoto Masters.
However, they were unable to overcome the younger Malaysians, suffering a straight-game defeat in their first encounter.
The result also highlights the growing competition within Malaysia’s men’s doubles ranks, with emerging partnerships beginning to challenge established combinations.
Malaysia Badminton News: Rising Stars Make Their Mark
From winning the Arctic Open on their partnership debut to defeating the world No. 5 pair, Aaron-Roy King have continued their impressive start together.
Their latest victory sends them into the Kumamoto Masters quarter-finals with another major result to build upon.
With Malaysia’s promising young combination gaining momentum, attention now turns to whether they can extend their remarkable run even further.
Can Aaron-Roy King turn their stunning upset into another title challenge?
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