[Watch] Malaysian Badminton Pair Makes History At Macau Open, Pockets RM125,000
The breakthrough performances signal a promising future for Malaysian badminton as the sport continues to rebuild its international standing.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Malaysian badminton celebrated a breakthrough moment as men’s doubles pair Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Yap Roy King claimed their first BWF World Tour title at the Macau Open, ending Malaysia’s 12-year wait for a men’s doubles crown.
The world number 23 duo defeated Indonesian pair Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 22-20, 21-18 in straight sets at the Macao East Asian Games Dome, despite challenging court conditions that saw water dripping from the ceiling and constant floor mopping interruptions.
View on Threads
The victory was particularly sweet for Wan Arif and Yap as they avenged their defeat to the same Indonesian opponents in last year’s Spain Masters final.
The triumph earned them USD29,230 (RM125,031) in prize money, while the world number 8 Indonesian pair received USD14,060 (RM60,141).
Malaysia’s last men’s doubles World Tour title was won in 2013, when Hoon Thien How and Tan Wee Kiong were crowned champions.
They have also recently secured their participation in the Paris Olympic Games, marking a pivotal moment for these underdogs as they continue to make headlines in international competitions.
Justin Hoh Falls Short in Singles
In the men’s singles final, Malaysia’s Justin Hoh could not complete the fairy tale as he fell to Indonesia’s Farhan Alwi in straight sets 15-21, 5-21 in a match lasting less than an hour.
The world number 45 Justin, playing in his first World Tour final, struggled against the tournament’s fifth seed, particularly in the second set, where nothing went his way.
Alwi, ranked 25th globally and the 2023 World Junior Champion, proved to be in a class of his own.
The 2024 Indonesia Masters champion, Alwi, took home USD27,750 (RM118,700), while Justin earned USD14,060 (RM60,141) as runner-up.
Justin Hoh 🇲🇾 and Alwi Farhan 🇮🇩 go for gold in Macau.#BWFWorldTour #MacauOpen2025 pic.twitter.com/JsQar8D4H2
— BWF (@bwfmedia) August 3, 2025
New Mixed Doubles Partnership Shows Promise
Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair, Jimmy Wong and Lai Pei Jing, also reached the final but lost to Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje 13-21, 16-21, despite showing a strong fighting spirit in their first World Tour event final.
The world no. 127 duo began playing together in March this year after Lai’s previous partner, Tan Kian Meng, retired, and have quickly made a name for themselves by upsetting the competition to reach the Macau Open final.
Lai had expressed that she feels an instant chemistry with her new 23-year-old partner, which bodes well for their future competitions.
Despite their recent setback, Wong and Lai have shown impressive performance by reaching multiple finals this year, including earlier tournaments in Vietnam and Phuket.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) hailed the results as a positive step forward, with the hashtags #GemilangkanLagi, #BadmintonMalaysia, and #DemiMalaysia trending as fans celebrated the historic achievement.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
