Malaysia’s world No 4 men’s doubles shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are on the brink of failing to qualify for the lucrative season finale Super 1000 World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, next month.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who are currently ranked seventh in the qualifying list, have an onerous task ahead of them with compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in a stronger position to qualify as the second Malaysian pair.
Top doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have already booked their spot while Wei Chong-Kai Wun are in fifth position.
Under the WTF rules, only two representatives from each country can qualify for the US$3 million (RM12.5 million) championship.
With two Super 500 championships to go, Sze Fei-Izzuddin, who were last year’s semi-finalists at the WTF, must win both the Kumamoto Masters title in Japan this week and the Australian Open from Nov 18 to Nov 23 to stand a chance.
This will enable them to amass a total of 18,400 points and move ahead of Wei Chong-Kai Wun based on the current standings. This will not be good enough to qualify for the WTF if their compatriots reach the last 16 in both tournaments.
At the Kumamoto Masters, Sze Fei-Izzuddin have a tough opener as they face South Korea‘s world No 23 pair Kang Min Hyuk-Kim Dong Ju.
They have met the Koreans only once before at the China Open in July, where the Malaysians lost in straight games.
Former national badminton coach James Selvaraj said Sze Fei-Izzudin showed much promise last year, but for some reason, they have not been performing this year.
They have only won one title and suffered early exits in several tournaments.
“Based on the current form, it looks like the path will be easy for Wei Chong-Kai Wun to book the second slot. I am sure they can make it past the first round in Japan and Australia, which will confirm their berths,” he told FMT.
In any case, he said, Malaysia’s best bets for a WTF men’s doubles title would be Aaron-Wooi Yik and Wei Chong-Kai Wun, based on their performances this season.
Last year, Sze Fei-Izzuddin won three titles after entering four finals.
Others who will feature at the WTF are women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, who are the No 1 pair in the qualifiers list, and mixed doubles pairs Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai.
Malaysia will not have any singles representatives in the men’s and women’s singles at the WTF to be played from Dec 17 to 21.
