Kim Won-ho & Seo Seung-jae: Malay Open Semifinals Bound | Badminton News

[OSEN=고성환 기자] After all, it is the strongest in the world. The ‘golden combination’ Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae (Samsung Life Insurance) easily advanced to the semifinals of the Malaysia Open, one step closer to winning their first championship in 2026.

Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, ranked No. 1 in the men’s doubles world rankings, defeated Man Wei Chong and Tikai Won (Malaysia, ranked 5th in the world) 2-0 (21-17 21-14) in the quarterfinals of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Malaysia Open (Super 1000) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 9th.

It was an easy victory. It took only 41 minutes for Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae to become winners. Even the Man Wei Chong-Tikai Won team with the home advantage was not enough to be a match for the two.

The team of Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae led 11-9 in the first game, but faltered as they allowed four consecutive goals. However, they succeeded by taking the lead by scoring 6 points at 15-17. In the second game, the two showed excellent concentration, winning 4 points in a row from 10-11, and achieved a complete victory.

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With this, it is Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae who once again defeated the Man Wei Chong-Tikai Won group in about three weeks. The two players also defeated Man Wei Chong and Tikai Won 2-1 (25-23 14-21 21-19) in the final match of the group stage of the 2025 World Tour Finals held last month and advanced to the semifinals as first place in the group.

At that time, Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae used that momentum to lift the championship trophy. They added their 11th win in the 2025 season by defeating the group Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang (China) 2-0 (21-18, 21-14) in 40 minutes in the final. This was a new record for the most wins in men’s doubles history, surpassing the record of 10 wins set by Chinese icons Li Yongbo and Tian Bingyi in 1988.

Last year, the Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae pair reunited for the first time in seven years. Starting with the Malaysia Open, the two quickly rose to the top ranks by dominating the German Open, All England Open, Indonesia Open, Japan Open, World Championships, China Masters, Korea Open, French Open, Japan Open, and World Tour Finals.

BWF also praised Ahn, saying, “While Ahn Se-young was making headlines in the singles category, Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae were writing their own great history. The two, who reunited in early 2025, perfectly understood each other’s strengths. Through explosive offense, solid defense, and clever shot selection, they quickly joined the ranks of elite players by overwhelming seasoned opponents.”

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The pair of Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae started off by winning the Malaysia Open in 2026 and are looking to continue their trophy streak. The next pair that the two players will meet in the semifinals is the world number 16 pair of Ben Lane and Sean Bendy (England).

Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae are ahead in both rankings and overall records. The two are recording 2 wins out of 2 against Ben Lane and Sean Bendy. The most recent match was in the German Open semifinals in March last year, where the pair of Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae won 2-0 (21-14 21-9).

Of course, there is no letting down your guard. According to BWF, after the semifinal matchup was confirmed, Seo Seung-jae said, “I watched their (Ben Lane-Sean Bendy) (quarterfinal) match. They are definitely playing at a different level this week, so I think the semifinals will be a difficult match. I will do my best to prepare.”

The pair of Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae are now two wins away from winning the championship. If he wins this competition, he will become champion for the second year in a row and successfully defend his title. This could be the first step toward setting the record for the most wins (11 wins) in a BWF single season, surpassing the record of 11 wins set in 2025.

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[사진] Korean Badminton Association/BADMINTON PHOTO, BWF social media.

Go Seong-hwan ([email protected])