Sze Fei-Izzuddin in danger of losing world No. 1 ranking

KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 1 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani must regain their edge quickly ahead of next month's Japan Open (July 15-20) and China Open (July 22-27), or risk losing their top spot.
The independent pair captured both titles last year and must now defend their points to stay at the summit.
Since lifting the India Open in January, Sze Fei-Izzuddin have struggled to maintain momentum, failing to add another title to their World Tour campaign.
They have reached the quarter-finals in each of their last four tournaments.
The Japan Open is a Super 750 event offering 11,000 points to the winners, while the China Open is a prestigious Super 1000 tournament, with 13,500 points up for grabs.
Former national player Datuk James Selvaraj believes the pair must rediscover the focus that powered their rise following their departure from the BA of Malaysia last year.
"They need to recapture the form and focus they showed after leaving BAM," James told Timesport on Sunday.
"That's their main problem now. They've got time to fine-tune their game before Japan and China, and they must make it count.
"Getting to world No. 1 is tough, but staying there takes even more effort. You don't want to be top one week and drop to No. 2 or 3 the next."
Sze Fei-Izzuddin currently hold 91,090 points, but are being chased down by compatriots and former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, who moved up to No. 2 this week with 89,870 points — just 1,220 behind.
Aaron-Wooi Yik, also the reigning Asian champions, will be gunning to leapfrog their rivals and claim the world No. 1 ranking for the first time along with bragging rights as Malaysia's top men's doubles pair.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

New Straits Times

2 hours ago

• New Straits Times

RTG to give pro shuttlers better training facility

PUTRAJAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh wants the Road to Gold (RTG) programme to provide professional shuttlers under RTG a better facility to conduct their training. Yeoh said RTG coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam is currently working out the details with the independent players. Two professional pairs - Nur Izzuddin Rumsani-Goh Sze Fei (men's doubles) and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai (mixed doubles) - put pen to paper on their RTG pledges earlier this week. The two pairs are currently training at a badminton facility within Endah Parade. "I hope we can help find them a more suitable place to train, a place which is more private so they don't have to go to shopping malls where you (the public) can see our players training," said Yeoh today (June 21). "I believe Datuk Stuart will coordinate assistance for them. "I don't have the full details yet but these are the types of assistance we are looking to give them. We could also improve access to pre-existing infrastructure to help them improve their performances." Yeoh said RTG will also provide assistance to the professionals in terms of support from the National Sports Institute and also cover approved travel expenses to tournaments abroad. Yeoh expects to see independent shuttlers continue to conduct joint-training exercises with their counterparts under the BA of Malaysia (BAM). "We already had joint-training programmes previously during the previous Olympic cycle, it is normal," said Yeoh. "What is important here is that all our players have sparring partners of equal standards regardless of whether they are professionals or under BAM." RTG is intended to provide cream of the crop Malaysian athletes the additional support they need to challenge for gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as well as other major international competitions. On a separate note, Yeoh said she has not received any updates on the status of women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, who have been contemplating leaving BAM to turn professional. "As I had said before, I am not aware of what the latest status is. From what I had read in the news, they said they have not decided and are waiting for BAM to make a decision," said Yeoh. "So I hope BAM will find a solution soon so this does not affect our athletes' preparations. "Regardless, Pearly-Thinaah are already in the RTG programme and we will continue to give them strong support. "They have already shown improvement recently and I hope any (potential) changes that happen do not affect their performances." Yeoh was speaking after delivering her speech at the 2025 Asean Persons with Disabilities in Sports Conference in Putrajaya today. Over 250 representatives from Southeast Asian countries, local stakeholders and non-governmental organisations attended the two-day conference (June 20-21). The objective of the conference is to empower the disabled community through the development of sports for all.

The Star

6 hours ago

• The Star

Herry challenges Aaron-Soh to grab world No. 1 spot with good shows in Japan, China

New goal: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are currently ranked second in the world. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star PETALING JAYA: Go for world No. 1. Men's doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi has challenged shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to reach the top ranking for the first time before the World Championships from Aug 25-31 in Paris. Currently at No. 2, Aaron-Wooi Yik have a chance to overtake fellow Malaysians Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani for the top spot when they compete next in the back-to-back Japan Open from July 15-20 and China Open from July 22-27. The former are breathing down the independent pair's necks with 89,870 ranking points compared to the latter, who have 91,090 points. Herry has urged Aaron-Wooi Yik to take this opportunity to finally achieve the elusive milestone in their careers and give themselves a huge boost before the prestigious world meet. 'For me, it's important for Aaron-Wooi Yik to become world No. 1 before the world meet,' said Herry after overseeing a training session at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara yesterday. 'If they can achieve this, then it will be good as it will give them a better seeding in the tournament. 'They have a chance and this (becoming world No. 1) has been one of their personal targets.' Based on their hot form since April under Herry's guidance, Aaron-Wooi Yik have a good opportunity to overtake Sze Fei-Izzuddin. The 2022 world champions captured the Asian Championships, Thailand Open and Singapore Open titles and finished runners-up to world No. 7 teammates Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the Malaysian Masters. Meanwhile, Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who became world No. 1 last month, have struggled for consistency this year. The pair captured the Indian Open in January but failed to reach the semi-finals in all their outings since their triumph. Sze Fei-Izzuddin also face a fight to hold on to their top spot as they won both the Japan and China Opens last year and need to do well this year too to protect their ranking points. Aaron-Wooi Yik on the other hand missed both the tourneys last year due to the latter's toe injury and do not have to worry about defending any points. The draw for the Japan Open which will be held in Tokyo will be released on July 8.

The Sun

17 hours ago

• The Sun

Rachel Arnold reaches Asian Squash final after epic win

KUCHING: National squash ace Rachel Arnold emerged as Malaysia's sole representative to advance to the final of the 23rd Asian Individual Squash Championships after defeating fellow Malaysian Aifa Azman in the women's semi-final at the Sarawak Squash Centre, Petra Jaya, here today. The world No. 19 player overcame Aifa 11-9, 11-2, 8-11, 9-11, 12-10 in a fierce battle that lasted 56 minutes. This victory sees Rachel carrying the nation's hopes into the final, just one step away from clinching her maiden Asian title, after another Malaysian representative, Yee Xin Ying, failed to advance to the final in another semifinal. Yee was defeated by Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok, who secured a 11-9, 5-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6 victory in a match that lasted 45 minutes. Rachel is scheduled to face Ho in tomorrow's final to vie for the title of the 23rd edition of the championships. Following their semi-final losses, Yee and Aifa concluded their campaigns at the tournament by sharing third placing.