[Watch] Love Match: Malaysian Badminton Star Marries Japanese Player In Hometown Ceremony
Their romance became public when Goh proposed in March, and they recently enjoyed a romantic getaway in Cameron Highlands before making it official in his hometown.
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Sometimes the best matches happen off the court.
Malaysian badminton ace Ong Yew Sin and Japanese player Aya Ohori just made it official, tying the knot in a low-key ceremony that’s got the sports world talking.
The 30-year-old doubles specialist brought his 28-year-old bride home to Melaka recently, where they signed the papers at the local National Registration Department (JPN) office.
No fancy church bells or red carpet – just family, a government official, and two athletes who found love between tournament brackets.
@jpnmelakaofficial 💖💖RAIKAN CINTA PEMAIN BADMINTON MALAYSIA ONG YEW SIN DAN PASANGANNYA AYA OHORI💖💖 19 Jun 2025 | Ayer Keroh – Pada hari ini JPN Negeri Melaka telah berbesar hati menyatukan cinta pemain badminton handalan Negara, En. Ong Yew Sin bersama pasangannya juga pemain badminton dari Negara Jepun, Pn. Aya Ohori bertempat di Bahagian Perkahwinan dan Perceraian, JPN Negeri Melaka. Upacara perkahwinan sivil tersebut telah dilakukan oleh Penolong Pegawai Pendaftaran, Puan Nur Fatehah binti Razali dimana pasangan tersebut telah mengangkat ikrar perkahwinan dihadapan beliau dan disaksikan oleh wakil keluarga masing-masing. Tahniah diucapkan dari kami dan semoga perkahwinan cinta dari dua budaya ini berkekalan selamanya. #MalaysiaMadani #Madanibekerja #KDNSejahteraMadani #KDNIhsanMadani #RakyatDiHatiJPN #MelakaRESPONSIVE #BadmintonMalaysia #badmintonlovers #jpndimanamana ♬ original sound – Romancevibe🌸 – mimi
From Tournament Circuit to Romance
This isn’t your typical meet-cute story.
Ong and Aya have been crossing paths on the international badminton circuit for years – he dominated men’s doubles, she made waves in women’s singles.
While they never faced off directly (hard to do when you’re playing completely different events), the tournament scene became their dating pool.
The badminton world got its first real hint when Ong dropped to one knee back in March, popping the question in what became social media gold.
The Melaka JPN office couldn’t resist getting in on the action, posting photos and gushing about the “cross-cultural marriage” on their Facebook page.
Power Couple Credentials
Let’s talk credentials. Ong’s been crushing it in men’s doubles alongside partner Teo Ee Yi, representing Malaysia on courts from Tokyo to London.
The pair is currently ranked 31st in men’s doubles.
Meanwhile, Aya, who reached her highest world ranking of No. 7 on 17 December 2024, has been holding it down for Team Japan in women’s singles, earning respect for her steady game and cool-under-pressure vibe.
At 30 and 28, respectively, they’re both hitting their athletic prime, which makes this whole romance thing even more impressive when you consider the gruelling travel schedules and constant competition these players face.
Choosing to get married in Melaka wasn’t just convenient, it was symbolic.
For a guy who’s spent years jet-setting around the world with a racket in his hand, coming home to make it official feels right.
Off-Court Romance
The registration office ceremony might not have had the glitz of a destination wedding, but sometimes keeping it real is precisely what works.
The badminton community’s been watching this love story unfold like a slow-burn Netflix series, and now they’ve got their happy ending.
Here’s hoping these two can juggle marriage and those demanding tournament schedules – because if anyone can make long-distance love work, it’s a couple who’ve mastered the art of precision under pressure.
The couple’s been making the most of their downtime too – recently spotted enjoying a romantic getaway in Cameron Highlands, trading the intensity of competition courts for Malaysia’s cool mountain air and strawberry farms.
READ MORE: [Watch] Pearly Tan Opens Up About Her Ideal Partner: “I Like The Blur Blur Type”
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