KUCHING: National men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani moved within one win of ending their two-year wait for a BWF World Tour Super 1000 title after defeating world No. 1 pair and defending champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae in the Indonesia Open semi-finals today (June 6).
The Malaysians battled back through a gritty decider to secure a memorable 21-18, 17-21, 21-17 victory and book their place in the final at Istora Senayan.
As Malaysia’s sole remaining representatives in Jakarta, Sze Fei and Izzuddin delivered a composed display against one of the toughest opponents in men’s doubles.
The opening game was decided by fine margins as both pairs traded attacking blows and rapid exchanges at the net.
The Malaysians settled quickly into the contest and edged ahead 11-9 at the interval before closing out the set 21-18.
Won Ho and Seung Jae responded in the second game, raising the tempo and capitalising on a brief lapse from the Malaysians to level the match 21-17.
With a place in the final at stake, the decider developed into a test of patience and execution.
Neither pair was able to establish a significant advantage as momentum swung repeatedly between both sides.
Sze Fei and Izzuddin, however, gradually gained control of several key exchanges and opened a slender lead heading into the closing stages.
The Koreans attempted to claw their way back, but the Malaysians remained composed to seal the deciding set 21-17 and complete one of their biggest victories of the season.
The result ended the defending champions’ title defence and levelled the head-to-head record between the two pairs at 2-2.
More importantly, it sent Sze Fei and Izzuddin into their first Super 1000 final since winning the China Open in 2024.
The pair are now one win away from ending an 18-year Malaysian wait for the Indonesia Open men’s doubles crown. The last Malaysians to lift the title were Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif, who triumphed in Jakarta in 2008.
Victory on Sunday would also see Sze Fei and Izzuddin become the first Malaysian men’s doubles pair in nearly two decades to conquer the Indonesia Open title.
Awaiting them in Sunday’s final will be either Indonesia’s sixth-seeded pair Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani or fellow Indonesians Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto.
