Kuala Lumpur: Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal, ranked 93rd globally, are eager to maintain a consistent performance following their recent victory at the Syed Modi International. This triumph marks their first championship as a pair, achieved at the 2023 Syed Modi International in India, a BWF World Tour Super 300 tournament boasting a total prize pool of US$210,000.
In the tournament’s final showdown, Choong and Haikal faced off against Japan’s Akira Koga and Taichi Saito, who were ranked 16th globally and held the top seed in the event. After an intense battle lasting 1 hour and 3 minutes, Choong and Haikal emerged victorious with a comeback win of 18-21, 21-18, 21-16.
This title is particularly significant as it shattered Koga and Saito’s aspirations to break a five-year championship drought. Choong and Haikal received a prize of US$16,590 (approximately RM77,000) in recognition of their success.
In a post-match interview shared by the Badminton Association of Malaysia, Choong acknowledged the intensity of the first game, stating, “We were a bit tight in our performance in the first game, so we aimed to relax more in the second game. We didn’t overthink; we just played our game, allowing us to regain our confidence and secure the win.”
Haikal added that their coach consistently emphasized the importance of maintaining confidence throughout the match.
“This victory, coming in our first championship together after three months of playing, will undoubtedly boost our confidence for future competitions. It marks a promising start for us, and we aspire to maintain this level of stability in the future,” expressed Haikal.
Choong and Haikal have now become the sixth Malaysian men’s pair to secure victory in a BWF Super World Tour 300 or higher tournament since the BWF changed the competition format in 2018. They join the ranks of successful pairs like Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong, Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi, Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun, Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin, and Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik.
Tan Bin Shen, Malaysia’s men’s doubles coach, expressed his unwavering confidence in Choong and Haikal, urging them to believe in their potential.
“We can see that Hon Jian and Haikal have the ability to defeat the top 20 combinations in the world. If they continue to improve, they will soon become one of the best pairs,” noted Tan. He emphasized the importance of nurturing healthy competition among Malaysian men’s doubles pairs to ensure a consistent supply of top-tier talents, drawing parallels with successful teams from Indonesia and China.
“This is precisely what I have mentioned and what I hope to witness—strong pairs challenging each other within their national team, akin to the scenarios in Indonesia and China,” concluded Tan.
