SNAPSHOT | Asian Games: Malaysia hits six-gold target via women's squash

Malaysia's hopes for a men's doubles badminton gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games faded without a medal, extending a 20-year drought. Malaysia placed their trust in Sze Fei-Izzuddin Rumsani and Aaron Chia-Tee Kai Wun, but both pairs failed to advance past the quarter-finals. Sze Fei-Izzuddin, ranked No. 6 in the world, fell short after losing to China's Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang 21-13, 21-11 in the quarter-finals at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium.

Earlier, Aaron-Kai Wun were knocked out in the second round by South Korea's Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae. Malaysia's last men's doubles gold in the Asian Games came in 2006 when Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong won in Doha. Sze Fei-Izzuddin see this loss as an opportunity to improve and aim for greater success, acknowledging the disappointment but viewing it as a challenge.

Despite the setback, the pair had a strong season, winning the Super 500 Indonesia Masters and Super 1000 Indonesia Open, and finishing second at the Malaysia Masters. However, they recognize the need to elevate their game to compete with the world's top pairs. Their focus now shifts to upcoming European tournaments on the World Tour — the Denmark Open and the French Open.

The Asian Games experience provided valuable lessons, particularly regarding unity and spirit, which Sze Fei-Izzuddin have carried forward.