KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Jan – Since its inaugural tournament in 2009, Malaysia remain as the big winners in the Malaysia Masters Badminton Championships but were left without any titles since 2017 when Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing last won the mixed doubles titles in 2017.
Since the inclusion of Perodua and Daihatsu as main sponsors which saw the tournament elevated to the Super 500 tournament in 2018, Malaysia has yet to win any titles although Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi managed to storm into the final.
Both however lost to their opponents in the final of the 2018 and 2019 editions respectively.
The Malaysia Masters began in 2009 as a Grand Prix Gold tournament but was listed as one of the seven Super 500 tournaments following Perodua and Daihatsu’s sponsorship as well as the increase in prize money of USD$400,000 compared to the previous USD$120,000.
National legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei gave Malaysia the cheers after winning the men’s singles title in 2016 in Penang.
Chong Wei has won the singles crown five times since the inaugural championships in 2009.
Top-ranked Kento Momota from Japan, will be eager to add the Perodua Malaysia Masters title to his collection.
Last year, Momota surprisingly lost to Kenta Nishimoto in the first round.
The men’s singles battle is expected to be unpredictable with South Korea through Son Wan Ho, Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) and Hong Kong’s Angus Ng dominating the last 3 editions while the women’s singles were clearly ruled by India and Thailand.
With China slowly losing grip in the women’s singles with their last trophy came from Yao Xue in 2014, all eyes will again be on Thai women ace, Ratchanok Intanon who will be gunning for a hattrick win in next week’s tournament after winning her titles in 2018 and 2019.
Taiwanese ace and world No. 1, Tai Tzu Ying has not been lucky thus far in the women’s singles competition but India, with Pusarla V. Sindhu (2013 and 2016 champion) and former champion Saina Nehwal (2017) spearheading the squad, they will undoubtedly be one of the hot favourites this time around.
Indonesia were the top winners in the men’s doubles, winning titles in the last four years (twice by Marcus Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya in 2016 and 2019) while Japanese pair won twice since 2016 in the women’s doubles.
Indonesia were clearly dominant in the men’s doubles with four titles in a row since 2016.
Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan started the ball rolling after clinching the 2010 edition.
Marcus Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya followed suit in 2016 and 2019 but they skipped the tournament in 2018, opening the path for young pair of Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Adrianto to ensure Indonesia’s dominance.
The Indonesian pair defeated Malaysia’s Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong in 2018 final.
Prior to that, Berry Agriawan-Hardianto won the title in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong won three times in 2009, 2011 and 2012 while Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah took the 2013 title.
Japanese shuttlers, with the Tokyo Olympics looming closer at home, will be going all out to make their mark where champions, Yuki Fukushima-Hirota and Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino will again be relied upon to deliver the goods in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles respectively.
The Perodua Malaysia Masters presented by Daihatsu 2020, scheduled at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil from January 7-12, is expected to draw huge attention with its star-studded field ready to entertain fans with top and thrilling action throughout the week-long tournament.
PAST CHAMPIONS
2019
Men’s Singles: Son Wah Ho (KOR)
Women’s Singles: Ratchanok Intanon (THA)
Men’s Doubles: Marcus Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sakamuljo (INA)
Women’s Doubles: Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (JPN)
Mixed Doubles: Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino (JPN)
2018
Men’s Singles: Viktor Axelsen (DEN)
Women’s Singles: Ratchanok Intanon (THA)
Men’s Doubles: Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto (INA)
Women’s Doubles: Kamilla Rytter Juhl-Christinna Pedersen (DEN)
Mixed Doubles: Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (HKG)
2017
Men’s Singles: Angus Ng (HKG)
Women’s Singles: Saina Nehwal (IND)
Men’s Doubles: Benny Angriawan-Hardianto (INA)
Women’s Doubles: Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai (THA)
Mixed Doubles: Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (MAS)
2016
Men’s Singles: Datuk Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
Women’s Singles: P.V. Sindhu (IND)
Men’s Doubles: Marcus Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sakamuljo (INA)
Women’s Doubles: Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (JPN)
Mixed Doubles: Zheng Siwei-Li Yunhui (CHN)
2015
Men’s Singles: Lee Hyun-il (KOR)
Women’s Singles: Nozomi Okuhara (JPN)
Men’s Doubles: Kenta Kazun0-Kazushi Yamada (JPN)
Women’s Doubles: Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (DEN)
Mixed Doubles: Jaochim Fisher Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (DEN)
2014
Men’s Singles: Simon Santoso (INA)
Women’s Singles: Yao Xue (CHN)
Men’s Doubles: Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Chayut Triyachart (SIN)
Women’s Doubles: Huang Yaqiong-Yu Xiaohan (CHN)
Mixed Doubles: Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong (CHN)
2013
Men’s Singles: Alamsyah Yunus (INA)
Women’s Singles: P.V. Sindhu (IND)
Men’s Doubles: Goh V Shem-Lim Kim Wah (MAS)
Women’s Doubles: Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth-Rizki Amelia Pradipta (INA)
Mixed Doubles: Praveen Jordan-Vita Marissa (INA)
2012
Men’s Singles: Datuk Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
Women’s Singles: BusananOngbumrungpan (THA)
Men’s Doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (MAS)
Women’s Doubles: Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (MAS)
Mixed Doubles: Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (MAS)
2011
Men’s Singles: Datuk Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
Women’s Singles: Wang Xin (CHN)
Men’s Doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (MAS)
Women’s Doubles: Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna (JPN)
Mixed Doubles: Tontowi Ahmad-LiliyanaNatsir (INA)
2010
Men’s Singles: Datuk Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
Women’s Singles: Yip Pui Yin (HKG)
Men’s Doubles: Markis Kido-Hendrawan (INA)
Women’s Doubles: Duanganong Aroonkesorn-Voravichitchaikul (THA)
Mixed Doubles: Devin Lahardi Fitriawan-Liliyana Natsir (INA)
2009
Men’s Singles: Datuk Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
Women’s Singles: Wang Shixian (CHN)
Men’s Doubles: Koo Kean Kiet-Tan Boon Heong (MAS)
Women’s Doubles: Ma Jin-Wang Xiao Lin (CHN)
Mixed Doubles: Zheng Bo-Ma Jin (CHN)
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