Malaysian duo Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik fought valiantly in front of a packed home crowd but fell just short in a pulsating men’s doubles final at the PETRONAS Malaysia Open, going down to world No.1 Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae of Korea after 66 minutes of high-octane action.
Aaron/Soh delivered a performance full of courage and quality, pushing the world’s best pair to the limit in a captivating men’s doubles final.
The Koreans won 21-15, 12-21, 21-18 in a 66-minute highly intense battle, the third meeting between the pairs.  Aaron/Soh had prevailed over their Korean rivals in their last encounter at last year’s Singapore Open. Despite their spirited play, the Malaysian pair are still chasing their first Super 1000 title, having now contested seven finals without clinching the crown.
From the outset, both teams opened aggressively, trading points with the crowd firmly behind the home favourites. Korea pulled ahead in the first game, taking a 20-14 lead before closing it out 21-15 in 19 minutes.
Aaron/Soh responded with authority in the second, storming to an 11-6 lead at the interval and dominating rallies to take the game 21-12, setting up a thrilling rubber.
The decider was tense throughout.
Korea jumped to an early 11-4 lead at the interval, but the Malaysians refused to relent, clawing back multiple times to make it 18-20. In the final points, Korea’s superior front-court tactics and composure under pressure ultimately decided the outcome, sealing a 21-18 victory.
Despite the loss, Aaron/Soh earned USD50,750, while Kim/Seo took home USD107,300. The pair can take pride in their fightback, their front-court aggression, and the resilience shown in front of their home fans. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari presented the trophies medals in a fitting finale to a spectacular tournament.
The 2026 Malaysia Open concluded with two titles going to Korea (An Se Yong in women’s singles and men’s doubles Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae) , two to China (Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning in women’s doubles and mixed doubles pair Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping) and a historic men’s singles win for Thailand through men’s singles Kunlavut Vitidsarn,  underlining the tournament’s high-quality, Asia-dominated spectacle – and giving Malaysian fans plenty to cheer for in the year ahead.
