{
  "id": 1417271,
  "title": "Arif-Roy King get Malaysia off to winning World Championships start",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/arif-roy-king-get-malaysia-off-to-winning-world-championships-start",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-17T04:14:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/badminton/2026/08/1512882/arif-roy-king-get-malaysia-winning-world-championships-start"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia began their World Championships journey on a high note with a resounding first-round win. Reunited doubles team Wan Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King defeated Vietnam's Nguyen Dinh Hoang-Tran Dinh Manh 21-9, 21-13 in just 25 minutes at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Monday. The pair, who were Malaysia's inaugural representatives at the tournament, showcased their seamless chemistry as they dominated the match without error. Their partnership had been rekindled following the recent reshuffle in men's doubles, with Arif now paired with Kang Khai Xing and Roy King joining forces with Tee Kai Wun. Last year, the duo reached the quarterfinals at the World Championships, but they now face a tougher challenge against Indonesia's Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin, who received a first-round bye.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Reunited men’s doubles pair Wan Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King got Malaysia off to a winning start at the World Championships today with a comfortable first-round victory.",
  "key_points": [
    "Malaysia's Wan Arif Junaidi and Yap Roy King win first-round match",
    "Pair defeats Vietnam 21-9, 21-13 in 25 minutes",
    "Malaysia's inaugural representatives reach World Championships start strong"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}