Goh Sze Fei (front) and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani saved the day for Malaysia when they stormed into the Indian Open final.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin pulled off a sensational 21-18, 21-14 victory over home favourites and 2022 Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty at the Indira Ghandi Sports Complex in New Delhi on Saturday (Jan 18).
On a day when four other Malaysian representatives - Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men's doubles), Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women's doubles), Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie - all fell, Sze Fei-Izzuddin stood tall to come away with the win in just 37 minutes.
It was only the world No. 2 pair's second win over Satwiksairaj-Chirag in eight meetings.
“We really enjoyed the atmosphere here. It was a great stadium,” said Sze Fei in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“I tried to do my part well and create attacking chances for Izzuddin (and it worked).
“We just tried to play our best, and we knew they were under more pressure as they were playing at home.
Izzuddin said: The key to our form is our communication, and we keep trying to improve. We don’t want to think too much about our opponents in the final, but we just want to prepare well mentally and physically.”
Standing in Sze Fei-Izzuddin's way to their first title this year in the final on Sunday (Jan 19) will be South Korea's Malaysian Open champions Seo Seung-jae-Kim Won-ho.
Seung-jae-Won-ho edged Aaron-Wooi Yik 22-20, 21-19 in the other last four match earlier.
