Pearly Tan-Thinaah, Aaron Chia-Tee Kai Wun and Fei-Din lead Malaysia’s winning start in Nagoya Games

Malaysian doubles women pair M. Thinaah (left) and Pearly Ta beat Indonesia’s Rachel Allessya Rose-Febi Setianingrum 21-13, 21-11 in the Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya in Japan on Seotember 25, 2026. — AFP file pic

First Published: Saturday, 26 Sep 2026 10:42 AM MYT

NAGOYA, Sept 26 — National women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and two men's doubles combinations got off to winning starts in their badminton individual campaigns at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games yesterday.

World No. 5 Pearly-Thinaah did not have any problems disposing of Indonesia's Rachel Allessya Rose-Febi Setianingrum 21-13, 21-11 to check into the second round at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium

Awaiting the Malaysian pair in the next round are Thailand's Hathaithip Mijad-Napapakorn Tungkasatan, who defeated North Korea's Kim Jin Hyang-Yu Mi Song 21-19, 21-8 in their opening-round tie.

Malaysia's other women's doubles pair of Noraqilah Maisarah-Low Zi Yu, however, crashed out in the first round after losing 10-21, 13-21 to Taiwan's Hsu Yin Hui-Lin Jhih Yun.

Aaron Chia-Tee Kai Wun and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani kept Malaysia's flag flying high in men's doubles after clearing their opening-round hurdles.

Aaron-Kai Wun were simply a class above Odilzhon Abdurakhimov-Dzhumaboi Saidov, crushing the Tajikistan pair 21-6, 21-6, while Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin disposed of Taiwan's Chiu Hsiang Chieh-Wang Chi Lin 21-17, 21-14.

Aaron-Kai Wun can expect a far sterner test in the second round as they will come up against world No. 1 Kim Won Ho-Seo Sung Jae, who received a first-round bye.

World No. 6 Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin can also expect a tough time in the next round, as they will face Japan's world No. 9 Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi, who breezed past Bangladesh's Moajjam Hossain Ohidul-Jumar Al Amin 21-9, 21-11 earlier.

Malaysia's mixed doubles campaign came to an abrupt end after both pairs - Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai and Chen Tang Jie-Chen Su Yin - went down fighting in the first round.

World No. 10 Soon Huat-Shevon lost 20-22, 22-24 to India's Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto, while Tang Jie-Su Yin went down 16-21, 22-20, 19-21 to South Korea'’s Kim Jae Hyeon-Jang Ha Jeong. — Bernama

* Editor’s note: Fei-Din is the moniker by which Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani pair in the men’s doubles are popular known.